Star Wars Themed Land Speculation

[tribbleorlfl]

The whole park is random: What do Star Wars, Muppets, PIXAR, Twilight Zone, Aerosmith, and Little Mermaid have in common? Absolutely nothing.

I vote for the park to be renamed "Random WDW Park #4".

But since the park really isn't a backlot/Hollywood-themed park anymore, it just wouldn't make sense.

Here are the lands/stand-alone attractions that will be in the park after the expansion:
-Star Wars
-Cars
-Monsters, Inc.
-Toy Story
-The Muppets
-Aerosmith
-The Twilight Zone
-Fantasmic!

I have no clue what the entire park will be named after those are the only attractions left at the park and none of them make any sense to be put together.

So what are some possibilites for DHS to be renamed? Because it needs one once they remove the Backlot Tour.

Huh?

 

[KreativeKid]

The park is really not a Studio-themed park anymore. A Studios-themed park is supposed to be about producing and making movies. DHS has nothing to do with that except for The Backlot Tour, and that ride will be gone soon. I think the park needs a new name and overall theme.

 

[rhino4evr]

to be fair..Universal Studios isn't any more of an actual studio then Hollywood is now a days either. It's not like the old days where they had Nick Studios.

 

[RonaldsModernLife]

to be fair..Universal Studios isn't any more of an actual studio then Hollywood is now a days either. It's not like the old days where they had Nick Studios.

But there are still shows and things filmed at Universal Studios, not as much as before, but it's still somewhat active. What's filmed at Hollywood Studios?

 

[quickfire609]

to be fair..Universal Studios isn't any more of an actual studio then Hollywood is now a days either. It's not like the old days where they had Nick Studios.

The backlot area is still used for production, but it's entirely separate from guest areas too.

 

[tribbleorlfl]

The park is really not a Studio-themed park anymore. A Studios-themed park is supposed to be about producing and making movies. DHS has nothing to do with that except for The Backlot Tour, and that ride will be gone soon. I think the park needs a new name and overall theme.

Regardless of whether there's actually filming occurring or not, contrary to what you said, the park is still very much themed to Hollywood, the So.Cal entertainment industry and a backlot. It's hardly "random" in that all of the IP's are representative of various genres.

 

[weRyde]

This is just my educated guess, but whatever expansion or re-do comes to DHS I think we can count on Phase 1 being related to Pixar attractions (& I would hope decent ones). My reasoning for this is because it would be much easier on the park if they close LMA & the "Backlot" Tour for capacity issues. If these attractions (Cars & Monsters I would hope) open in 2-3 years, then they could open that half of the park to a large fanfare & then they can work on the Star Wars area. By then they will have (hopefully) hammered out all the details that will make SW fans generally thrilled with very little complaints. I suppose they could also be doing work on the Sounds Dangerous! & American Idol buildings for SW stuff as well during the time of my proposed Pixar additions. That would possibly give them a few other attractions to devour some people while they work on the major SW additions.

Maybe it's my Disney pessimism coming out but I'm trying not to hype myself up for this because I feel like it probably won't be open for around the 5 year mark at the very earliest.

PS- Please leave GMR alone aside from a good cleaning & maintenance. I know some of the films are "irrelevant" now to some people but this ride should always be about the evolution of films throughout Hollywood's lifetime.

 

[mahnamahna]

This is just my educated guess, but whatever expansion or re-do comes to DHS I think we can count on Phase 1 being related to Pixar attractions (& I would hope decent ones). My reasoning for this is because it would be much easier on the park if they close LMA & the "Backlot" Tour for capacity issues. If these attractions (Cars & Monsters I would hope) open in 2-3 years, then they could open that half of the park to a large fanfare & then they can work on the Star Wars area. By then they will have (hopefully) hammered out all the details that will make SW fans generally thrilled with very little complaints. I suppose they could also be doing work on the Sounds Dangerous! & American Idol buildings for SW stuff as well during the time of my proposed Pixar additions. That would possibly give them a few other attractions to devour some people while they work on the major SW additions.

Maybe it's my Disney pessimism coming out but I'm trying not to hype myself up for this because I feel like it probably won't be open for around the 5 year mark at the very earliest.

PS- Please leave GMR alone aside from a good cleaning & maintenance. I know some of the films are "irrelevant" now to some people but this ride should always be about the evolution of films throughout Hollywood's lifetime.

I would have to say that it would take this in order to get me to plan a visit to DHS:

Phase 1 (2015) - small Star Wars additions/other things

X-Wing spinner along Echo Lake
indoor Jedi Training Academy
old Jedi stage is replaced with an Ewok play area
New show for BatB stage (Tangled or Frozen)

Phase 2 (2016) - Pixar Place expansion/etc

Monsters Inc Door Coaster (Stage 1 and surrounding area) - 42"
Harryhausen's (by the door coaster)
Incredibles dark ride and Cars 2 stunt show (Backlot/LMA area)
Mater's Junkyard Jamboree clone
Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground is re-themed to Up
Finding Nemo - The Musical is moved over to here (Premier Theatre?)

Phase 3 (2017-2018)

2017
Massive GMR refurb with new scenes/AAs but the classics (Indiana Jones/Fantasia/Mary Poppins/Oz/Casablanca) can stay!
A trackless Mystic Manor style gangster dark ride on Sunset Blvd
Muppets mini-land (restaurant/M&G)

2018
Endor speeder bike coaster (major E-ticket) - located in expansion area behind Indy
Jabba's Palace Showdown (D-ticket walkthrough/stunt show) - put in Indy's place
Mos Eisley Cantina (table-service bar/restaurant with AAs/live band/interactivity/projections) - replaces Backlot Express
Full-scale duplication of Tattooine/Endor with shops/characters, etc.
Replica of the Millennium Falcon is a new photo op
The Death Star is in the center of Echo Lake
Star Wars parade
Star Wars is included in Fantasmic! now

This could be a $1.5-$2 BILLION dollar expansion and might be pricey but it would help DHS sky-rocket to 11-12 million guests per year! :thumbs: if they want to compete with Universal Orlando's impressive product over the last few years and their anticipated product in the next few... they need an expansion on this scale for here and a smaller-scale ($600 million-$750 million) expansion for DAK, along with some new offerings for EPCOT ($100-$200 million) and MK ($250-$350 million)... get to work, TDO!!!

 

[rhino4evr]

ha ha ha...do you REALLY think Disney could accomplish all that in the span of 4 years, when it's taken them almost the same amount of time to make the one mine train ride?

 

[Accio Butterbeer]

Never ever going to happen. Like never. I do wish Disney would build that many epic attractions though.

 

[mahnamahna]

ha ha ha...do you REALLY think Disney could accomplish all that in the span of 4 years, when it's taken them almost the same amount of time to make the one mine train ride?

Lol I know this! That's why I'm probably never staying on Disney property why give them money to do the least amount of effort possible?

But that's the kind of building scale it would take for me to consider going to Disney over Universal - and even then I'd spend 2-3 days at Uni

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Never ever going to happen. Like never. I do wish Disney would build that many epic attractions though.

Exactly! What's sad is that Universal probably would build a Star Wars Land like the one I described if they were in charge of the characters :fist: oh well, just gotta see what Disney is capable of

 

[Accio Butterbeer]

Lol I know this! That's why I'm probably never staying on Disney property why give them money to do the least amount of effort possible?

But that's the kind of building scale it would take for me to consider going to Disney over Universal - and even then I'd spend 2-3 days at Uni

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Exactly! What's sad is that Universal probably would build a Star Wars Land like the one I described if they were in charge of the characters :fist: oh well, just gotta see what Disney is capable of

If Universal had the rights to Star Wars, I would almost guarantee there would be an amazingly themed Star Wars land behind MIB and Simpsons.

 

[fryoj]

If Universal had the rights to Star Wars, I would almost guarantee there would be an amazingly themed Star Wars land behind MIB and Simpsons.

I think if Uni had Star Wars, we'd be looking at the basis of a 3rd gate.

 

[shiekra38]

If Universal had the rights to Star Wars, I would almost guarantee there would be an amazingly themed Star Wars land behind MIB and Simpsons.

*sigh* Missed opportunity indeed..I may never get to step foot on Endor or The Death Star as I dreamed

 

[Cheezbat]

Sounds like in this expansion the Indy stunt show is getting the axe.

No real presence for Indiana Jones in WDW anymore(except Great Movie Ride)...

And I'm guessing they have no plans to bring him back attraction wise anywhere.
Gosh how I wish Disney would let that property go and Universal steal Indy away!

 

[Accio Butterbeer]

Sounds like in this expansion the Indy stunt show is getting the axe.

No real presence for Indiana Jones in WDW anymore(except Great Movie Ride)...

And I'm guessing they have no plans to bring him back attraction wise anywhere.
Gosh how I wish Disney would let that property go and Universal steal Indy away!

I do agree with you there. Indiana Jones deserves a really awesome dark ride in Florida!

 

[tribbleorlfl]

Sounds like in this expansion the Indy stunt show is getting the axe.

No real presence for Indiana Jones in WDW anymore(except Great Movie Ride)...

And I'm guessing they have no plans to bring him back attraction wise anywhere.
Gosh how I wish Disney would let that property go and Universal steal Indy away!

Huh, I figured this might happen, but frankly I can't believe they're getting rid of both Indy and LMA. Those are such big crowd-eaters, where I they going to put those displaced crowds? Don't think Jedi Academy is that big of a draw unless they expand the show to be more than just kids dueling Vader (ie story elements, additional choreographed fights).

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

According to Jim Hill(from wdwthemeparks.com):

The primary plan includes Star Wars Land taking over Echo Lake. It would begin at or around Hollywood and Vine and extend to the current location of Star Tours. Components of this land would be as follows

The Mos Eisley Cantina would take the place of the actual lake with Backlot Express being retained as another dining option.
The anchor attraction is expected to be an Endor Speeder Bike attraction that will replace the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. Details of that attraction are below:

50 guests at a time per track, 2 tracks
3 minute ride time
180 degree 3D projection domes will surround the guests
Capacity around 2000 guests per hour

An X-Wing Fighter spinner attraction would be a kid friendly attraction. The wings of the fighters would be able to move in flight. This would likely be built in the area current occupied by the Jedi Training Academy

The Jedi Training Academy would move indoors into the Sounds Dangerous building.

Additionally, they would remove the "movie set" theming. The Ewok Village and AT-AT walker in front of Star Tours would be replaced with full size versions.

Imagineers are pushing for a large streetmosphere presence with interactive components built into the surroundings.
Another plan includes Star Wars Land beginning at the current Star Tours attraction and extending further back into the park in the Muppet*Vision 3-D/Streets of America area. Other things being considered in the other plans include:

The Mos Eisley Cantina replacing Mama Melrose's
A full size Millennium Falcon Walk through

The budget for the total makeover for Hollywood Studios is expected to be in the $600 million to $1 billion range. A meeting in late June of the Board of Directors reportedly resulted in Star Wars content moving forward for both Hollywood Studios and Tomorrowland in Disneyland. Official announcement is unknown at this time. It was initially expected it to be announced at the D23 Expo, however that no longer seems to be the case.

 

[jtsalien]

Who else stopped reading at "According to Jim Hill.."?

 

[Accio Butterbeer]

Who else stopped reading at "According to Jim Hill.."?

I didn't stop but I realized whatever he's saying(because its Hill) is going to happen is NOT going to happen. So sadly we wont be getting a Speeder Bike attraction :'(