Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge (Disneyland)

[Mad Dog]

This is like .. genuinely crazy. I would have never predicted this.

It was always the right move, and after so many years of complaining about this with no change in sight, it just didn't really seem like it was going to happen. Disney seemed so stubbornly married to this concept of a canonical-to-a-fault land based only on the Sequel films that featured no BGM loop. The Starcruiser was the ultimate peak of that stubborness; a refusal to deliver promised interactivity and scale unless experienced at a supreme upcharge, and further doubling down on the Sequel-era

I suppose it has been a moment now since that experience fell apart on them. Maybe they've taken these two years and reexamined the state of Star Wars at the Disney parks. This definitely feels like a very big U-Turn after a purposeful decade-long deprioritization of OT / Prequel content in the parks.

I feel like Disneyland might be them testing the waters. Galaxy's Edge generally hasn't been the earth-shattering slam dunk they were probably hoping for, so if changing direction with it; including classic Star Wars characters, implementing BGM to the Outpost areas, creating a new Blue Milk with better mass appeal, etc; leads to more buzz and success than we currently see for SWGE, I wouldn't be surprised to see WDW move this way too eventually.

and.....like them updating and slightly changing some of the existing rides....they can use this to spur attendance without spending a real lot of money.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Another feather in Disneyland's cap, while WDW gets short-changed again.

My assumption is that WDW will strategically update their land once they figure out what works and doesn't work at Disneyland next year. They already have the Millennium Falcon, RnRC Muppets and Animation Courtyard program to promote this year.

With Monsters, Inc. not coming online until 2028, SWGE featuring the classic trilogy in 2027 makes perfect sense. Would at least prevent people from skipping out on DHS in favor of Tropical Americas in DAK.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

Would at least prevent people from skipping out on DHS in favor of Tropical Americas in DAK.

Or if they can't get Tropical Americas open by 2027.

 

[Viator]

I wonder if part of this has to do with the changes to the Lucasfilm regime--to where with Kathleen stepping down, things are being eased to allow creatives and creators the easier ability to slot things that are more general public pleasing.

 

[Freak]

I wonder if part of this has to do with the changes to the Lucasfilm regime--to where with Kathleen stepping down, things are being eased to allow creatives and creators the easier ability to slot things that are more general public pleasing.

100% this is why. Notice the news of this happening broke out in less than two days before Kathleen’s departure was officially announced.

 

[Ron101]

One thing I don't understand is why Kylo is being shipped off to Tomorrowland. I thought the whole point was to have every era presented in the land.

 

[DrStarlander]

One thing I don't understand is why Kylo is being shipped off to Tomorrowland.

To wither and die off quietly

 

[DarkMetroid567]

Putting the OT characters in Rise would be expensive and a downgrade.

OT actors are old, dead, or not coming back. It’s great that the entire Sequel cast is actually in the ride and replacing them would make the whole thing feel needlessly synthetic.

And I really don’t think Rise would really get any added visitation. The marginal fan that says “I’d only go to Galaxy’s Edge if LUKE was on Rise of the Resistance” probably doesn’t exist?

 

[BriefCasey]

Not to mention that Vader would be AI voiced, which if Fortnite is saying anything, would draw controversy even though James Earl Jones signed off on it before his death.

Complex as the Vader situation is, I think AI in a theme park ride like that could open a pandora's box/set a very bad precedence, especially when it's already messing up so many things as is, like with Disney investing in it and wanting to put it into Disney+.

 

[Clive]

Putting the OT characters in Rise would be expensive and a downgrade.

OT actors are old, dead, or not coming back. It’s great that the entire Sequel cast is actually in the ride and replacing them would make the whole thing feel needlessly synthetic.

And I really don’t think Rise would really get any added visitation. The marginal fan that says “I’d only go to Galaxy’s Edge if LUKE was on Rise of the Resistance” probably doesn’t exist?

I think the costs involved with rendering a de-aged Luke and Han for the preshows are the biggest reason this type of conversion hasn't happened.

It'd require a lot of other work, too, of course -- reshooting most of the preshow and ride animation, redoing the Stormtroopers in the Hangar Bay, and rethinking most of the on-ride animatronics. Darth Vader appearing on-ride would be a major draw, I think, but to your implied point, Rise of the Resistance is plenty popular as it is. (Would they need to rebrand it to Rise of the Rebellion, I guess?)