Star Wars Lands Coming to Disney World and Disneyland

[marth555]

Its finally happening (now with a high res image)
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2015/08/star-wars-themed-lands-coming-to-walt-disney-world-and-disneyland-resorts/

[TheBEASTunchained]

I know one member here who will probably be particulary excited about this.....

[MDMC01]

Interesting. Do we know where these lands will be going in their respective parks? 

[marth555]

Not yet but there is a park and resorts panel later today that should have more details

[MDMC01]

Ok, cool.   I'd heard some ideas (via Theme Park Tourist) that WDW's area might go in the Disney's Hollywood Studios park.

[jcgoble3]

I know one member here who will probably be particulary excited about this.....

 

Ya think?! I just heard the news on Facebook and came here to see if it had been posted yet. Yes, I'm excited about this.

 

Depending on my budget at that time, I may even try to be at WDW for the opening. (Disneyland would be harder for me to do, being on the other side of the country.)

[marth555]

If you read the article I linked you could see that it is going to the park currently known as DHS

[RingMaster]

Looking at the overhead of Disneyland, I can already see Autopia and Finding Nemo going bye-bye for Star Wars Land. That seems like a sizable patch to hold 14 acres worth of nerf herding, even though their Star Tours sits on the opposite end near the main entrance to Tomorrowland.

 

Now DHS, on the other hand, that's a different story. The obvious choice is to place it with Star Tours, but which way would you expand? North to encompass the Indiana Jones stunt show? Or south to replace the entirety of New York Street and attractions such as MuppetVision 3D and the Babe, I Dun Tiny Tots'd Our Tater Tots playground? That still isn't considering the long-rumored overhaul of the Studios into a whole new horse of a different color.

[upstop]

They closed "Art of Animation" in DHS, right? Probably from there to behind Pixar street to the stunt spectacular. Me .... personally....not interested. Slept through first movie twice....just can't get interested in the series

[marth555]

A Star Wars overlay for Space Mountain called Hyperspace Mountain will be coming to Disneyland next year while DHS is getting a new Star Wars Fireworks show

Joining it will be a new Episode 7 destination added to Star Tours at both Land and World later this year.

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2015/08/live-updates-from-walt-disney-parks-and-resorts-presentation-at-2015-d23-expo/

[LordSkippy]

Forget Avatar Land; this is what's going to crush the Wizarding World(s.)

[bkroz]

Disneyland's will almost certainly be located north of the park, west of Toontown (or perhaps including Toontown's land) in the space currently occupied by backstage facilities (which will be relocated to the property Disney recently purchased on Manchester outside of the resort).

 

Disney World's will likely be built on the land beyond (and most likely including) the Lights, Motors, Action stunt show.

 

In both resorts, it will be interesting to see what fate befalls Star Tours. In Disneyland, it's currently in Tomorrowland, which is a hop-skip-and-jump from where Star Wars Land will be. In Hollywood Studios, it's just far enough from any available land to make it awkward, unless Disney is planning on flattening the Streets of America there. 

[marth555]

Just saw this on twitter

The Star Wars Launch Bay will be located in the Animation Courtyard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios & in Tomorrowland at Disneyland.

[PyroKinesis]

I always find it fascinating now they can squeeze so much flavor into Disneyland.

[Thrill_Biscuit]

Now, let me get this straight: this is all based on that movie with the giant laser-ball and the tall robot-guy with the deep voice and glow stick, right?

 

 

Excited? I'm flippin' bonkers! This will definitely be worth, like ... moving to LBV! Seriously, what a great year this is turning out to be for SW fans!

 

Said another way: "That's no moon; it's a space station!" 

[PyroKinesis]

"That's no moon; it's a space station!"

Great Twister quote!

[RingMaster]

Disneyland's will almost certainly be located north of the park, west of Toontown (or perhaps including Toontown's land) in the space currently occupied by backstage facilities (which will be relocated to the property Disney recently purchased on Manchester outside of the resort).

 

Disney World's will likely be built on the land beyond (and most likely including) the Lights, Motors, Action stunt show.

 

In both resorts, it will be interesting to see what fate befalls Star Tours. In Disneyland, it's currently in Tomorrowland, which is a hop-skip-and-jump from where Star Wars Land will be. In Hollywood Studios, it's just far enough from any available land to make it awkward, unless Disney is planning on flattening the Streets of America there. 

 

Given the recent announcement of Toy Story Land @ DHS, I'm inclined to believe you with the southern portion of the park, from MuppetVision all the way down to the former Catastrophe Canyon (which literally sits behind Lights, Motors, Action!), being for SWL, and the former Animation Courtyard, from the Little Mermaid show also all the way down to LMA, being for TSL (using up most of the space previously used by the tram tour). Here's a shot of the concept render:

 

[Thrill_Biscuit]

 

"That's no moon; it's a space station!"

Great Twister quote!

 

I was quoting Todd Field when I wrote that!

[bkroz]

Just saw this on twitter

The Star Wars Launch Bay will be located in the Animation Courtyard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios & in Tomorrowland at Disneyland.

 

To be clear, Star Wars Launch Bay is a temporary "exhibit" type attraction that will showcase movie memorabilia and props. That will open this autumn to coincide with the newest film's release and Disney's "Season of the Force" winter promotion (which will also see, in part, new fireworks at Hollywood Studios and a brand new Hyperspace Mountain at Disneyland Park). It'll take over the old Art of Animation exhibit in Florida (which closed just last month) and Innoventions at Disneyland (which closed sometime between 1999 and 2015... No one's really taken notice). 

[marth555]

And then theres this http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2015/08/star-wars-enhancements-new-experiences-coming-soon-to-walt-disney-world-and-disneyland-resorts/ Star Wars Launch Bay will share the space with the reimagined Super Hero HQ, featuring opportunities to meet and take photos with Super Heroes like Captain America and Thor, as well as experience the returning Iron Man Tech Presented by Stark Industries. Both experiences will be available for guests later this year.

[Oldschool75]

NERDGASM 1000% I am stoked and can't wait until this is done to plan a trip.

Sent from a signal coming out of the Vega system.

[marth555]

Toontown lives It's (Star Wars) is going to be in the Big Thunder Ranch area, inclusive of some backstage locations.

https://twitter.com/DisneylandToday/status/632769115116187648

[Italian Job 2005]

So is Disney sorta copying The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in the way that it's one movie or series of movies combined into one themed "land" of the park?  Interesting...

 

Anyway, they said in the presentation that this is all part of the plan to turn Disney's Hollywood Studios from a park that took you behind the scenes to a park that immerses you right in the action of the films.  With this I do think we can expect a new name change for the park.

[RailRider]

The name I have heard rumored is Disney's Hollywood Adventure.  I have also heard that there is more coming to the Studios besides what has been announced.  Fantasmic revamp and the possible installation of an Indy Ride like the California version in place of the stunt show.

 

The Star Wars and Toy Story additions are going to be amazing and will greatly revitalize a park that was lacking in attractions.

There was a time that Magic Kingdom and EPCOT were the only parks that took a minimum of 1 day to experience if not 2.  Now with these announcements and the additions to Animal Kingdom(Pandora, Rivers of Light and nighttime safaris) Disney will have 4 parks that will take 1 solid if not multiple days to visit.  Spending $ to keep $ on site.

 

Oh and lastly these will be amazing additions to the Studios.  From the sounds of things Disney is taking a (DCA) A Bugs Life Approach to the new Toy Story Land.  If you have never experienced the A Bugs Life area at California Adventure it is one of the most well themed and immersive environments Disney has done.  I have a feeling they are taking the same approach but with toys from the Concept Art.

 

All the Wizards, Monkey, Robots and Dinosaurs in the world will not equal what Disney has announced at the studios.  Over 20+ acres of expansion, that is ambitious.

[bkroz]

When you think about it, Hollywood Studios is at least well positioned to transition in that its entry land, Hollywood Blvd., and Sunset Blvd. are already of the "immersive, detailed storytelling" style that Disney is otherwise so well known for. They're populated by live "streetmosphere" characters, play appropriate music, and not a big tan boxy show building in sight. Aside from place making, those two areas are ready to go. Now, the Animation Courtyard and Mickey Ave. areas are likely to give way to Toy Story Land with the rear part of the park (maybe including the Streets of America?) will become Star Wars Land. A new overall identity and just one more E-ticket or a few C-D tickets would make this a park worth $80 - 100 a day.

 

Keep in mind that, even with this, the studio park will have 9 rides... It will still be the Disney Park with the fewest rides, just tied with Animal Kingdom.

[Aaron88stang]

This looks amazing but just how long is it going to take Disney to build these lands? They have a history of taking many years on projects of this size and Hollywood studios needs a major boost ASAP. So much has closed and if it takes 5 plus years to realize these expansions what does that do to park attendance in the meantime. I have a good friend that visits WDW at least once a year typically. He is completely skipping this year and possibly next just because too much is under construction. 

[bkroz]

Disneyland's version must begin construction in 2017, which would probably see it open between late 2019 and early 2021.

 

One can hope that Walt Disney World will be more aggressive than it usually is in this construction. Pandora: The World of Avatar (which is of comparable size) will have taken six years or more from ground-breaking to opening (depending on if it meets its estimated 2017 opening, which is supposedly won't). 

 

I, too, find it odd that Disney closed so many of Hollywood Studios' attractions with no immediate work beginning. I would've expected that - if they close three or four things - the construction walls would've gone up immediately for land clearing. The fact that they didn't is troubling. Why close those attractions more than a year out from when you actually expect construction to begin? But we know why, don't we?

[Aaron88stang]

How long was the construction time of Cars Land? I would assume it would be similar to that. I only hope that they are able to build both of these expansions without taking down Midway Mania or Star Tours for any length of time...

[bkroz]

Cars Land was announced in August 2007, groundbreaking in July 2009, opened in June 2012.

 

This looks to be on about the same schedule.

 

Announced 2015. Construction begins two years later in 2017. Opens three years after that in 2020.

 

Luckily for industry fans, Universal will doubtlessly have expanded its Wizarding Worlds by then (allegedly, Forbidden Forest in Hogsmeade, Ministry of Magic in Diagon Alley), at least a few times over. And don't forget Sapphire Falls, Volcano Bay, Reign of Kong... 

[Steph88]

Why does Disney wait SO LONG to even begin construction? Why bother announcing years before even starting construction?