Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge (Disney's Hollywood Studios)

[Parkscope Joe]

Universal gave up pretty quickly after they saw how crowded the streets in Potter were.

I did a deep dive on Olivanders show one night on YouTube (as one does) and found the first version of the show from previews. Guests were to naturally walk in and "mill about" as the wand keeper would do inventory. Eventually he'd find a child and bring them up for the show. This clearly ended quickly as the queue spiraled out of control and they needed to turn over a larger audience more frequently.

 

[Eckert]

I did a deep dive on Olivanders show one night on YouTube (as one does) and found the first version of the show from previews. Guests were to naturally walk in and "mill about" as the wand keeper would do inventory. Eventually he'd find a child and bring them up for the show. This clearly ended quickly as the queue spiraled out of control and they needed to turn over a larger audience more frequently.

What a cool concept...it's a shame it would never be able to actually be done.

 

[SeventyOne]

I did a deep dive on Olivanders show one night on YouTube (as one does) and found the first version of the show from previews. Guests were to naturally walk in and "mill about" as the wand keeper would do inventory. Eventually he'd find a child and bring them up for the show. This clearly ended quickly as the queue spiraled out of control and they needed to turn over a larger audience more frequently.

And that's Universal, where face characters routinely walk around and simply interact with people. Never seen a Disney character in the park in decades who didn't have a line waiting to meet them. First random Gungan or Mon Calamari to hit the street, dozen people lined up for selfies and autographs.

 

[Eckert]

And that's Universal, where face characters routinely walk around and simply interact with people. Never seen a Disney character in the park in decades who didn't have a line waiting to meet them.

Ever been to Disneyland?

 

[SeventyOne]

Ever been to Disneyland?

Once, but not really a furry, so stuck to rides and bars. How is the character situation there?

 

[12th Man]

Once, but not really a furry, so stuck to rides and bars. How is the character situation there?

Lots of characters roaming and interacting with guests. Sometimes they'll even ride attractions with kids, which is what makes Disneyland so precious and unforgettable.

 

[Mike S]

Lots of characters roaming and interacting with guests. Sometimes they'll even ride attractions with kids, which is what makes Disneyland so precious and unforgettable.

Witnessed a cool encounter between Hook, Pinocchio, Gipetto, and the cat and fox whose names escape me just earlier today. Very fun.

 

[Nick]

Once, but not really a furry, so stuck to rides and bars. How is the character situation there?

In just the one day I did Disneyland proper last week, I saw lots of cool character interactions where you'd see Mary Poppins and Burt simply strolling along Main Street, talking to kids and signing autographs. No big fuss was made, no handlers were roaming, it was very natural. Peter Pan is great and always running about in Disneyland. I caught Alice taking a spin on the AiW dark ride, etc, etc. It just makes for a better experience... I would never wait in long lines to meet characters at WDW, but I got several pics with characters at DL simply because they were out and about with no lines.

The characters roam so much more free and it's much more like you've stepped into a living, breathing storybook at Disneyland Park. DCA not so much. They also run the double deckers and the main street cars most of the day there unlike WDW which only runs them in the morning.

 

[awhen]

In just the one day I did Disneyland proper last week, I saw lots of cool character interactions where you'd see Mary Poppins and Burt simply strolling along Main Street, talking to kids and signing autographs. No big fuss was made, no handlers were roaming, it was very natural. Peter Pan is great and always running about in Disneyland. I caught Alice taking a spin on the AiW dark ride, etc, etc. It just makes for a better experience... I would never wait in long lines to meet characters at WDW, but I got several pics with characters at DL simply because they were out and about with no lines.

The characters roam so much more free and it's much more like you've stepped into a living, breathing storybook at Disneyland Park. DCA not so much. They also run the double deckers and the main street cars most of the day there unlike WDW which only runs them in the morning.

This. And unfortunately I'm pessimistic about how long before the droids and aliens and other in-costume roaming cast members who have the potential to make Star Wars truly great fall by the wayside in Orlando.

 

[Nick]

This. And unfortunately I'm pessimistic about how long before the droids and aliens and other in-costume roaming cast members who have the potential to make Star Wars truly great fall by the wayside in Orlando.

I'm pessimistic about how long the roaming droids last in general tbh. Both Orlando and Anaheim's lands will be busting at the seams... where will there be room for droids to roam?

 

[rioriz]

Ever been to Disneyland?

Actually saw quite a few Main Street characters out and about last week and the coolest was Sparrow walking around the PotC queue interacting with guest.

However Universal does it on a larger scale with non Cartoon characters ie the Mummys and Hollywood Starlets

 

[SeventyOne]

In just the one day I did Disneyland proper last week, I saw lots of cool character interactions where you'd see Mary Poppins and Burt simply strolling along Main Street, talking to kids and signing autographs. No big fuss was made, no handlers were roaming, it was very natural. Peter Pan is great and always running about in Disneyland. I caught Alice taking a spin on the AiW dark ride, etc, etc. It just makes for a better experience... I would never wait in long lines to meet characters at WDW, but I got several pics with characters at DL simply because they were out and about with no lines.

The characters roam so much more free and it's much more like you've stepped into a living, breathing storybook at Disneyland Park. DCA not so much. They also run the double deckers and the main street cars most of the day there unlike WDW which only runs them in the morning.

That actually sounds great, especially for kids. But I think we also agree it's just not a WDW thing for whatever reasons. (Tho it recalls a comparison between Orlando and HHN fans in another thread--there really is a book to be written on the differences between the two city's fandoms.)

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I think the character interactions would last longer at DL than WDW. WDW has more tourists where as DL has more frequent visitors.

 

[Nick]

I think the character interactions would last longer at DL than WDW. WDW has more tourists where as DL has more frequent visitors.

The guests at DL also tend to be a lot more respectful of the park in my experience.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Disney didn't change how characters interact at WDW based on nothing. People demanded this type of interaction and now characters are a top rated thing in the whole resort

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Disney didn't change how characters interact at WDW based on nothing. People demanded this type of interaction and now characters are a top rated thing in the whole resort

They added handlers and proper queue set ups just because of the demand. Tourists have an objective to take pictures no matter what.

Just look like at HHN, characters get mobbed for photos.

 

[Nick]

Disney didn't change how characters interact at WDW based on nothing. People demanded this type of interaction and now characters are a top rated thing in the whole resort

I remember when Disney used to give people what they didn't know they wanted instead of exactly what they supposedly want.

People don't know what they want when it comes to theme parks (or innovation in general).

 

[shiekra38]

I remember when Disney used to give people what they didn't know they wanted instead of exactly what they supposedly want.

People don't know what they want when it comes to theme parks (or innovation in general).

I wish they would toss out the surveys sometimes...as people's opinions change on a dime

 

[Disneyhead]

It wasn't from surveys. The WDW walk around characters were getting swamped with tourists and altercations were an issue because of the lack of a formal queue set up.

 

[Cheezbat]

It wasn't from surveys. The WDW walk around characters were getting swamped with tourists and alterations were an issue because of the lack of a formal queue set up.

^^^^^
This

Stupid tourists in Orlando can't help themselves...they just have to push and shove and swarm the characters and touch inappropriately...

If only people were as decent down here as they are at the other Disney resorts, we might actually have free roaming characters still.