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Disneyland Resort, California: General Discussion

Well we all know that the bigger the company, the less tax it pays. That's the American dream.
 
The 2015 D23 Expo begins in just a couple of days. Obviously Star Wars is the big attention grabbing topic at present and it looks like there is a pretty good chance that Disney may officially announce some Star Wars projects for some of their parks.

So with this coming up here are some rumours regarding two new lands at Disneyland Resort California, courtesy of MiceChat:

Firstly it appears that there are plans to add a Star Wars land to Disneyland. It would be to the north of the park taking over Toon Town and nearby areas:

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Here's some of the more juicy information:
MiceChat said:
The majority of Star Wars Land in the northernmost park acreage will be inside a massive series of show buildings, meaning the land won’t have to close for fireworks fallout. The rides and shows in the land itself are being developed in a top secret Imagineering lab in Glendale with Imagineers signing extra confidentiality agreements because the plotlines and characters are pulled from the next three episodes in the Star Wars saga and the Lucasfilm folks understandably guard that information with their lives. But what we can tell you is that Star Wars Land will include multiple attractions, anchored by a mega E Ticket using a trackless vehicle that will break the mold when it comes to how theme park visitors interact with a ride environment.
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Certainly going to be interesting to see how the E-ticket ride turns out. I'm not too sure how the idea of a Star Wars themed area in a Disney castle park sits with me, especially the original. Can't help but wonder what Walt would make of it!

Anyway on to California Adventure. It appears that a Marvel themed land behind Tower of Terror is being planned:

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The E-ticket ride for this sounds rather exciting:
MiceChat said:
...the E Ticket thrill ride that is planned to anchor that expansion is going to be very unique. The ride will feature a newly Imagineered hybrid ride system that might be best described as a combination of Rock N’ Roller Coaster and Universal’s Transformers ride using every trick and gimmick WDI can throw at it, including on-board audio and effects and elaborate sets and animatronics.
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So certainly a lot to look forward to in California! Although knowing how long it takes Disney to build things it will probably be 2020 before any of this stuff opens! :p

:)
 
Now that stars wars land has been announced and is 14 acres in size and confirmed for the Disneyland park rather than California adventure I imagine the imagine Rob posted above is the about the only location they can fit something of that size into Disneyland.
 
So, Disney were asked about the possibility of Toon Town closing following the annoucement of Star Wars Land for Disneyland and this was their response:

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Then the other day they said to some - "It's going to be in the Big Thunder Ranch area, inclusive of some backstage locations."

Theme Park Insider have shown where the area is now likely to be situated with the shaded area representing 14 acres, the size that Bob Iger said the areas would be:

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:)
 
Bump!

A little Star Wars land update. Disney have filed demolition permits for parts of Frontierland in preparation for the new area:

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This will likely be for Big Thunder Ranch. Meanwhile some fresh rumours about the land:
slashfilm.com said:
Star Wars Land will begin massive demolition in January 2016 and should be into heavy construction phases by springtime 2016. The site claims the footprint of the new land “has continued to flex a bit this fall, but has recently settled into what should be its final version.” The project now has “a projected opening date that’s now pegged for Spring, 2019.”

Apparently there will be three entrances to Star Wars Land, a side entrance from the eastern flank of Fantasyland where Big Thunder Ranch BBQ restaurant currently stands, a second side entrance from a new pathway that will snake around from the Hungry Bear Restaurant, and the main entrance path will apparently “pass through a cavernous archway accessed via the current Big Thunder Trail.” Thats an interesting idea — I never thought we’d walk through that hole to get to the new land.

The demolition project is code named “Delos” by Walt Disney Imagineering, certainly named after one of the most important mythological, historical and archaeological sites in Greece. And the actual construction phase of Star Wars Land has been code named “Atlantis”, another Greek reference. The two massive attraction show buildings being created for Star Wars Land should begin to be framed in by early 2017.

The Stormtrooper chase and escape ride, which is apparently codenamed Alcatraz internally, will feature “autonomous trackless vehicles and nearly every other techno marvel WDI can throw at it.” The show building for that ride will be constructed in the northwest corner of the new land blocking the views of Mickey & Friends parking lot. The Millennium Falcon flight attraction, codenamed “Big Bird”, will be housed in the second largest show building in the new land, which will be located on the northern perimeter of the new land.
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Source

It won't be long at all now until we start seeing some work. I am very excited for this development (along with the Hollywood Studios version) but I still hate that it is going into Disneyland. A whole Star Wars themed land just doesn't fit. Alas Harry Potter gives Disney little choice and they are limited for space in California.

:)
 
It will indeed ruin the entire balance of the park. Completely nonsensical that this will not be anywhere near Tomorrowland, which also obviously contains a Star Wars ride.
 
But Star Wars is the polar opposite of Tomorrowland, it all happened a long time ago! Can we also assume that ride will be moved/closed once the land opens?
 
I'm really not a fan of Star Wars taking up a whole land of a Magic Kingdom style park. They can do what they want in Disney's Hollywood Studios, but Star Wars does not fit into the original script of Disneyland. Nope.
 
siralgenon said:
I'm really not a fan of Star Wars taking up a whole land of a Magic Kingdom style park. They can do what they want in Disney's Hollywood Studios, but Star Wars does not fit into the original script of Disneyland. Nope.
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If anything this should've been in California Adventure. They should be leaving Disneyland itself as it is, for the rest of time - it is literally perfection and will not be improved whatsoever by a garish franchise plonked on one side of one of the best themed areas in the park.
 
Alastair said:
It will indeed ruin the entire balance of the park. Completely nonsensical that this will not be anywhere near Tomorrowland, which also obviously contains a Star Wars ride.
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If you think about it, Star Wars should never have been in Tomorrowland at all. The films make it very clear right from the start that they are set A long time ago. Fantasyland would be more fitting, given the whole franchise is a glorified fairy tale.
 
DiogoJ42 said:
If you think about it, Star Wars should never have been in Tomorrowland at all. The films make it very clear right from the start that they are set A long time ago. Fantasyland would be more fitting, given the whole franchise is a glorified fairy tale.
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Obviously if you're going chronologically, it doesn't make sense. But from a purely aesthetic and thematic point of view, Tomorrowland is the best and only place it should ever have gone. Or at least, next to it.
 
Sorry but, ummm... Star Wars? In a MAGIC KINGDOM?

Confused. Mind you, Hong Kong put Toy Story Playland into theirs...
 
I really hadn't expected people to react so negatively to Star Wars Land. Why is it a surprise that they are building it in Disneyland Park? They are very tight for space in DCA, where Star Wars DEFINITELY wouldn't fit as an IP anyway, and they are a long way off a third gate being possible (which I understand is in discussions with additional land being sought).

There are already Star Wars attractions in 'Magic Kingdom' parks - yes they currently sit in Tomorrowland or Discoveryland, but with Toon Town in Cali it's been a long while since the idea of 5 themed areas in the hub and spoke model has applied in Cali. It's also rather a lot different than MK and DLP, with themes and areas continually spill into each other rather unapologetically
 
Star Wars is perhaps the closest a film series is to being a consistent party of American mythology for nearly fifty years now. Like Mark Twain or Mickey Mouse, it's proven timeless. So I think it makes sense in Disneyland.
 
AstroDan said:
Sorry but, ummm... Star Wars? In a MAGIC KINGDOM?

Confused. Mind you, Hong Kong put Toy Story Playland into theirs...
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I've always thought that TS Playlabd would have been better built at the Magic Kingdom park at DLP replacing Autopia, not sure it really works well at the Studios park. As for Star Wars land in a Magic Kingdom, it's a real deviation from the original ideas of the park, whereas TS at least kind of fits into the "lands" rather than being in area in itself... If that makes sense?
 
Star Wars isn't set is California so has no place in Disney California Adventure. Marvel would fit in DCA as Tony Stark lives in Malibu and at least all the superheroes are set in real world America/Europe. Star Wars is set in a fantasy galaxy a long way away. So in California it's not the worst thing to add to Disneyland, the park isn't meant to be a museum.
 
Disney need to build Star Wars in Disneyland. As you say, Disneyland isn't (just) a museum, it needs to keep up with the times, with an ever increasing generation of children who grow up faster thinking that Disneyland seems "naff" compared to Universal. We aren't talking about removing a ton of classic rides and replacing them with Star Wars, it's just an addition with very little sacrificed.

Disney set out to entertain the whole family, not just 5 year olds. Rides like these are needed to keep balance of what appeals to today's theme park visiting family. Star Wars will entertain adults who grew up with the films, as well as older children who have seen the new films and prefer them to Winnie the Pooh. they will at the least appreciate the high quality and obviously space themed attractions (a staple ride theme), even if they never saw any of the films.
 
For anyone saying a second Sci-Fi themed area would feel out of place behind Frontierland you'll probably be shocked to know the original plan for this area was Discovery Bay, a port themed version of Discoveryland in Paris!

I strongly suggest reading this article for the full story:

http://www.themeparktourist.com/fea...ventive-tale-disneylands-astounding-lost-land

After you read it you might still think the idea doesn't really work or like me wish they had gone with this story driven fantasy land instead. But it might also give you an idea as to how Star Wars could blend in behind the old west.
 
Some artwork was released earlier this week showing the changes and improvements that are being made to the 'Rivers Of America' at Disneyland now that they have closed for the construction of Star Wars. Needless to say, Disney aren't going to let us down, the concept art is nothing short of stunning!

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Rock cliffs, waterfalls and a new timber trestle bridge for the Disneyland Railroad... What more could you want?!
 
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