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

[Parkscope Joe]

You can’t “next level up” the Potter creations... they are the tippy top of the game. You can only meet that level of execution and I feel confident that GE has a good chance of doing just that.

FWIW I do think it’ll top Potter out of sheer cost and scope but it’s a lot of similar things. Lightsaber building instead of Olivanders show is a good example. Food appears to be high scale and more options.

Ever been to Wild Adventures in Valdosta GA? If not, report back for me.

Both can be bad? I’m not defending Sean’s opinion (I think FoP is a good ride but did not live up to the hyperbole) but going “yeah but what about THIS” is a good argument tool.

 

[rhino4evr]

Sorry it was first thing I thought of when I was thinking of actually trash attractions.

Don’t want to derail the thread but disliking a ride doesn’t equate to calling it “trash”

 

[JungleSkip]

Ever been to Wild Adventures in Valdosta GA? If not, report back for me.

No, but I bet they didn’t spend 350 million dollars on a ride seemingly designed to put people to sleep.

I won’t derail the thread, but there’s plenty of posts out there detailing my view on FoP

 

[HPFred]

Yes IF the quality is there. Big if. But I can also get some really great looking hilts from the high quality online shops for less than $80. I don't see how Disney can justify 110.

I really don't get how people are surprised by the price point.
Yes, you can get something similar online and cheaper, but there are some simple things that easily explain the price(other than just the high quality).

• The experience they are offering of building the saber;
• Possibly it will have interactivity;
• It's an official product;

And the main point that made me not be surprised a bit by the price

• It's being sold inside a theme park;

Everything is overpriced inside the theme park. So even if it didn't have the building experience, I still wouldn't be surprised by that price.

Also...I didn’t see any of the articles mention walk around character/droids like originally teased...

I don't know if I misunderstood, but I think that I read in one or the articles about a droid track or something being built. I will try to find which it was.

I'm the first to remind people tourists don't follow the parks as closely as we do, but they don't live in a vacuum either. Once conventional wisdom among parents in the northeast and other feeder markets becomes it's not worth visiting DHS unless it's an after-hours event or you booked FP 6 months out, I think you might see lower crowds in 2020 than a lot of the fan community seems to anticipate. (Especially if any sort of election year economic uncertainty is added to the mix.)

I agree with the statement about tourists not knowing as much as we do but still not being unaware of everything, I just don't think I agree with the conclusion. I have a lot of reasons of why I think that, but as I know I usually write too much I will give what I think is the maint point: it will be worth visiting Disney.
Also, if the election affects in some way the tourism, it will be only from US tourists, which, I imagine, are a minority on WDW.

 

[Evan]

FWIW I do think it’ll top Potter out of sheer cost and scope but it’s a lot of similar things. Lightsaber building instead of Olivanders show is a good example. Food appears to be high scale and more options.



Both can be bad? I’m not defending Sean’s opinion (I think FoP is a good ride but did not live up to the hyperbole) but going “yeah but what about THIS” is a good argument tool.

I also agree the scope is much larger.

I also still believe there are issues with Potter that although allowed it to be the tops for many years will have it drop below under Galaxy’s Edge in terms of theme and immersion.

One, I’m still annoyed by the Castle show building being visible from within the land. Two, if we’re talking real immersion, coasters break that instantly.

Both of Disney’s e-tickets for this expansion are fully fleshed out, immersive experiences straight from the films (in terms of immersion). Not a bit of it is going to seem like a “ride” in the way coasters do.

(Now I’m strictly talking these two lands, please don’t turn this into a coaster discussion in the rest of Disney).

I also think Disney is being insanely smart with merchandise here. All unique to the land, nothing really in boxes, designed to be items you would find at a market. I love me some Harry Potter merch, but it is rather generic.

Anyway that is it for my ramblings.

 

[PerezDC]

Listen if you dislike the ride that’s fine, but calling it “trash” is extreme hyperbole at its absolute worst.

He can call it whatever he wants. Not everyone has to agree with you.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I also agree the scope is much larger.

I also still believe there are issues with Potter that although allowed it to be the tops for many years will have it drop below under Galaxy’s Edge in terms of theme and immersion.

One, I’m still annoyed by the Castle show building being visible from within the land. Two, if we’re talking real immersion, coasters break that instantly.

Both of Disney’s e-tickets for this expansion are fully fleshed out, immersive experiences straight from the films (in terms of immersion). Not a bit of it is going to seem like a “ride” in the way coasters do.

(Now I’m strictly talking these two lands, please don’t turn this into a coaster discussion in the rest of Disney).

I also think Disney is being insanely smart with merchandise here. All unique to the land, nothing really in boxes, designed to be items you would find at a market. I love me some Harry Potter merch, but it is rather generic.

Anyway that is it for my ramblings.

When boiled down we're talking about "great land" or "greatest thing ever created" and at that point the line evens out logarithmically. The level of hype feels less like "wow this is going to be great" and more "wow this needs to be great". That's my problem with the discussion in the community (not just IU) so far, doesn't feel like we're discussing the land but instead people's desires for this to be good.

In terms of "immersion" this is a losing battle IMHO, there's always going to be an immersion breaking moment at a park and immersion is frequently used as a bludgeon against things. The parks are an illusion and as long as that illusion holds up then the attraction or area works. Complain about visible coaster supports or seeing a show building (all parts of a theme park) then don't blink an eye at credit card readers, employees with walkie talkies, exposed ride systems, or any other million things that are "immersion breaking". If you want to experience a completely immersive Star Wars experience there already is one: The Void VR.

At this point SWGE feels like "Diagon but Star Wars", which is a great point to be because Diagon is fantastic. But like all the arguing prior to Pandora opening we just don't know till it's open what will be there. Sure we hear about interactivity in Smuggler's Run and all the special merch now but we also heard about how Pandora would have lines to get in at night to see the glowing elements too.

 

[rhino4evr]

He can call it whatever he wants. Not everyone has to agree with you.

Thanks for chiming in with your feelings.

 

[JungleSkip]

I really don't get how people are surprised by the price point.
Yes, you can get something similar online and cheaper, but there are some simple things that easily explain the price(other than just the high quality).

• The experience they are offering of building the saber;
• Possibly it will have interactivity;
• It's an official product;

And the main point that made me not be surprised a bit by the price

• It's being sold inside a theme park;

Everything is overpriced inside the theme park. So even if it didn't have the building experience, I still wouldn't be surprised by that price.

I mostly don't disagree with anything you say here. I expected it to be expensive. I in no way expected it to be triple figure expensive. It's ridiculous.

I don't know if I misunderstood, but I think that I read in one or the articles about a droid track or something being built. I will try to find which it was.

They were talking about the "tracks" they made in the concrete by dragging an R2D2 model through it.

I also agree the scope is much larger.

Than either Hogsmeade or Diagon separately? Probably. Than the entire Orlando WWOHP experience? I don't agree.

Both of Disney’s e-tickets for this expansion are fully fleshed out, immersive experiences straight from the films (in terms of immersion). Not a bit of it is going to seem like a “ride” in the way coasters do.

Even if you think Hagrid's won't be immersive (which is crazy IMO), the two other main rides at WWOHP certainly are.

I also think Disney is being insanely smart with merchandise here. All unique to the land, nothing really in boxes, designed to be items you would find at a market. I love me some Harry Potter merch, but it is rather generic.

Wait...what? All of the WWOHP merch is unique to the land. All of it is designed to be representative of in-universe stuff. Like, I'm not saying you have to like it, but the idea that the WWOHP merch is not park exclusive and specifically designed for the land is just revisionist history.

 

[Evan]

I mostly don't disagree with anything you say here. I expected it to be expensive. I in no way expected it to be triple figure expensive. It's ridiculous.



They were talking about the "tracks" they made in the concrete by dragging an R2D2 model through it.



Than either Hogsmeade or Diagon separately? Probably. Than the entire Orlando WWOHP experience? I don't agree.



Even if you think Hagrid's won't be immersive (which is crazy IMO), the two other main rides at WWOHP certainly are.



Wait...what? All of the WWOHP merch is unique to the land. All of it is designed to be representative of in-universe stuff. Like, I'm not saying you have to like it, but the idea that the WWOHP merch is not park exclusive and specifically designed for the land is just revisionist history.

I don’t know, whenever I browse the merch (obviously there are some unique items) I see a lot of mugs and typical theme park merch. Sure it’s in theme with potter, but I don’t see it as that unique in terms of style or options.

But I haven’t been in a while so my memory is foggy.

 

[JungleSkip]

I don’t know, whenever I browse the merch (obviously there are some unique items) I see a lot of mugs and typical theme park merch. Sure it’s in theme with potter, but I don’t see it as that unique in terms of style or options.

But I haven’t been in a while so my memory is foggy.

I mean, there's a plush store in the middle of SWL. There's always gonna be something generic.

 

[Evan]

I mean, there's a plush store in the middle of SWL. There's always gonna be something generic.

Oh totally, I get it. I actually forgot about the “animal” plush.

I was mostly surprised at them not having figures and instead selling these “handmade” toys of Jedi and such.

 

[JungleSkip]

Oh totally, I get it. I actually forgot about the “animal” plush.

I was mostly surprised at them not having figures and instead selling these “handmade” toys of Jedi and such.

Which is cool! But they don't have generic Walmart action figures in WWOHP either.

Again, I don't want to sound like I'm putting down GE. I think it will easily be one of the theme park mediums best achievements. I just think the narrative that it will obviously completely outclass WWOHP putting the cart before the horse. I think it's going to be on the same level, but the idea that it won't be even close is baffling to me from what I see from these preopening media releases from this week.

 

[belloq87]

You can’t “next level up” the Potter creations... they are the tippy top of the game. You can only meet that level of execution and I feel confident that GE has a good chance of doing just that.

I do agree that Galaxy's Edge has a good chance of matching - but probably not exceeding - the Wizarding World.

I would hope, however, that both Disney and Universal themselves approach full lands going forward with the intention of attempting to dethrone Diagon Alley. That's the only way we'll continue to get impressive innovation. If the attitude is just, "Well, we'll never top Diagon, so let's not make the effort," that wouldn't bode well.

Don’t want to derail the thread but disliking a ride doesn’t equate to calling it “trash”

I agree. For example, I think Gringotts is a quite boring retread of several better rides, but I'd never call it trash because the scope of its ambition and the execution of its intentions are very high. It just doesn't do anything for me once we're actually on the ride.

"Trash" should be reserved for the undisputed awful attractions like Supercharged and Superstar Limo, where their aims are so incredibly low... and they still don't even hit their targets.

All of the WWOHP merch is unique to the land.

Not to nitpick, but I don't think this is technically true. While A LOT of the merchandise is stuff you can only get at Universal, there is a fair amount you could get through the Noble Collection or at the WB Studio Tour in the U.K., for example, just with different tags and/or packaging.

We'll have to see if any of the Galaxy's Edge merchandise finds its way to venues (other than Disney outlets) outside the land. I suspect not, but you never know.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I don’t know, whenever I browse the merch (obviously there are some unique items) I see a lot of mugs and typical theme park merch. Sure it’s in theme with potter, but I don’t see it as that unique in terms of style or options.

But I haven’t been in a while so my memory is foggy.

Go find the Season Pass Podcast of the opening of Hogsmeade. Remember what theme park merch was like in 2009? Potter changed all of that. “Typical theme park merch” because theme parks had to step up their game plus it ignores the crazy quality control and variety we have now.

 

[JungleSkip]

Not to nitpick, but I don't think this is technically true. While A LOT of the merchandise is stuff you can only get at Universal, there is a fair amount you could get through the Noble Collection or at the WB Studio Tour in the U.K., for example, just with different tags and/or packaging.

We'll have to see if any of the Galaxy's Edge merchandise finds its way to venues (other than Disney outlets) outside the land. I suspect not, but you never know.

Yes, you can now get it on the Studio Tour, but it was designed for the park. "Two physical locations in the world" is still pretty dang exclusive, and doesn't change its thematic integrity.

 

[belloq87]

Yes, you can now get it on the Studio Tour, but it was designed for the park. "Two physical locations in the world" is still pretty dang exclusive, and doesn't change its thematic integrity.

Definitely no argument there.

 

[Mike S]

I'm gonna be honest, and before getting into this I will say SWL is going to be incredible and I'm excited, but I don't see how this is leaps and bounds more impressive than Diagin Alley *yet*. It looks great, but all the food and beverage things they released yesterday was "Diagon Alley by Star Wars".

2 E Tickets vs. 1 with one (RotR) looking leaps and bounds above Gringotts. That plus all the atmosphere. So, yes, Diagon dialed to 11.

(Everyone did that for Pandora yet here we are two years later and.....)

....it’s still packed

 

[JungleSkip]

2 E Tickets vs. 1 with one (RotR) looking leaps and bounds above Gringotts. That plus all the atmosphere. So, yes, Diagon dialed to 11.

I'll wait to ride ROTR before making that call.

But I stand by the fact that the overall WWOHP product in Orlando will still be the benchmark. Hopefully SWGE proves me wrong

 

[darkridelover]

Listen if you dislike the ride that’s fine, but calling it “trash” is extreme hyperbole at its absolute worst.

Yeah tell that to the entire F&F thread.