Grand Avenue & Muppet Courtyard

[Parkscope Joe]

Why?
a) high capacity land
b) smaller hardcore fan base?
c) SWGE west coast will get all the hard core fans, leaving east coast the normal tourists
d) other

Diagon Alley drove massive attendance gains and didn’t require the ticketing or queue system for very long.

Reason: lots of space. SWGE will be even bigger.

 

[Disneyhead]

I believe the idea there will be massive queues to get into Star Wars is over exaggerated.

1. Because, unlike Potter, there has been a Star Wars theme park presence on both coasts for 25 years resulting in next to zero pent up demand?

2. By the time the land opens, Disney will have beaten the casual fans stupid with movies, side movies, toons, symphonic extravaganzas, and every kind of product from toothpaste to toilet paper?

3. Personally think Disney sucks and Star Wars is overrated?

 

[Andysol]

I believe the idea there will be massive queues to get into Star Wars is over exaggerated.

Quoted for posterity.

 

[Joel]

3. Personally think Disney sucks and Star Wars is overrated?

 

[Legacy]

I think Star Wars is overrated and I'm about as excited for the new land as I was for Avatar. While it'll be hard to guess if it will garner the initial response as Potter initially did, it'll still be huge if anything because Hollywood Studios (and WDW in general) have been starved for something like this for a very, very long time.

That said, it's entirely possible Disney can royally screw this whole thing up if one of the attractions is poorly received. Like Avatar.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I think opening 2 SWL's somewhat simultaneously, will generate a smaller crowd than people expect.

 

[epcyclopedia]

I think there will be long lines when it opens - but how long those lines last and if they have any effect on park attendance in the long run will depend on the execution of the offerings.

Remember, this is the company that was convinced we all wanted to make Birthday Cards for princesses.

 

[Disneyhead]

I think opening 2 SWL's somewhat simultaneously, will generate a smaller crowd than people expect.

I do believe the hardcore SW fans will go to DLR since that one is opening first. And therefore squelch WDW's numbers a bit. Like, all the huge SW fans that live in the Rocky Mountain region who come to WDW will go to DLR instead.

I think Star Wars is overrated and I'm about as excited for the new land as I was for Avatar. While it'll be hard to guess if it will garner the initial response as Potter initially did, it'll still be huge if anything because Hollywood Studios (and WDW in general) have been starved for something like this for a very, very long time.

That said, it's entirely possible Disney can royally screw this whole thing up if one of the attractions is poorly received. Like Avatar.

I live 12 miles from WDW and I haven't been to Pandora yet. I don't have a Disney AP, and to be honest, I don't really care for the Disney Experience anymore. I always feel like I'm wading in a Sea of knee-high screamin' snot monsters to get to an attraction whose only purpose is to induce a coma from boredom.

 

[tielo]

I think the "Grand Avenue" area is created for the sales of the $45.- t-shirts at a small cart saying "I was there at the opening of that Star Wars thingy but I didn't get in due to mismanagement".

 

[Alicia]

I'm sure the line to get into the land will be long at park open, similar to Pandora. Hopefully the land (and two ride queues within) can absorb the entire morning crowd once it opens for the day, as Pandora has done pretty successfully.

But, for that first hour or so each day, while they need to separate those heading into GE and those heading to Muppets (all 3 people,) I imagine they'll open a bypass.

 

[epcyclopedia]

I think how they handle openings will reflect the lessons they learned from Pandora - but possibly with some changes.

Keeping CM's out helped with the crowds - but the negative was that without full open CM previews the CMs couldn't sell the product to guests. I expect more soft openings with CMs and probably more time for APs/DVC as well. There's a large contingent of CMs who have no experienced Pandora because they didnt get into a preview and can't get FP under the current system.

Also perhaps a phased opening - one ride online before the other and each with their own preview schedules.

Edit:

A cute "case in point" about CM education/experience... Dining Reservations CMs tour all over property and go to many of the dining locations to see the experience, etc... to explain it to guests. Because there are so many location, most are just cursory looks at the location and menu while the venue is closed. One head chef makes it a habit to make sure these little tour groups are given cookies.

That location gets more recommendations from those CMs to guests than most others.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Quoted for posterity.

I’m not saying it won’t be popular or there won’t be any lines ever, just the hype of YEARS of lines to get in and this whole area being built as a queue is overhyped.

 

[epcyclopedia]

I’m not saying it won’t be popular or there won’t be any lines ever, just the hype of YEARS of lines to get in and this whole area being built as a queue is overhyped.

I am curious if they'll do what Universal has done recently and adopt what are otherwise "backstage" areas as overflow queues. Disney, as of yet, doesn't do that. That backstage road that lead into the intersection of Grand Avenue is a perfect space for that.

 

[Disneyhead]

I’m not saying it won’t be popular or there won’t be any lines ever, just the hype of YEARS of lines to get in and this whole area being built as a queue is overhyped.

I'll meet you at The Tap House at 2:30pm on Dec. 18th 2019, If there is no SW queue running down Grand Ave., I'll by the first round. If there is, you buy. :thumbsup:

 

[Yabbadabba Doh]

I am curious if they'll do what Universal has done recently and adopt what are otherwise "backstage" areas as overflow queues. Disney, as of yet, doesn't do that

Well, they do use that main street/backstage bypass at MK for overflow out of the park and for the MNSSHP, although that will now become a formal open area once the Main street theatre is built back there.

 

[epcyclopedia]

Well, they do use that main street/backstage bypass at MK for overflow out of the park and for the MNSSHP, although that will now become a formal open area once the Main street theatre is built back there.

Which is ironic, because ever since they built that bypass - they've been using the western non-themed bypass more frequently than they ever did prior to the eastern one existing.

 

[Mad Dog]

The biggest issue with GESWL, as I see it, will be DHS's overall poor capacity.

 

[epcyclopedia]

The biggest issue with GESWL, as I see it, will be DHS's overall poor capacity.

Which is why they're building a high efficiency direct line to Epcot with a weenie they know guests will like on the end of it.

(Ok, as direct as two 3-5min tram rides can be - Epcot/MK monorail is the same situation.)

It's a fishing line and they intend to use it.

Edit (cuz that's how i roll today apparently..)

Ops Playbook:

Step 1, park is CROWDED. Turn 1-day single park tickets into park hoppers when guests complain, point them at Epcot and tell them how to get there.

Step 2, parking is closed, redirect parking to Epcot's larger lot. Tell guests you will transport them from Epcot to DHS, but suggest they just go through the park for "funsies."

Step 3, park is at capacity - parking still redirects to Epcot, tell those guests they can visit Epcot, so sorry, you can visit DHs when it reopens via the convenient Skyliner link and to ask a CM throughout the day or watch the app. Angry guests within the park who "can't get on any rides!" and want refunds still sent to Epcot with park hopper upgrades.

That's how it'll probably play out. MK does it all the time with Epcot.

 

[Mad Dog]

Which is why they're building a high efficiency direct line to Epcot with a weenie they know guests will like on the end of it.

(Ok, as direct as two 3-5min tram rides can be - Epcot/MK monorail is the same situation.)

It's a fishing line and they intend to use it.

Edit (cuz that's how i roll today apparently..)

Ops Playbook:

Step 1, park is CROWDED. Turn 1-day single park tickets into park hoppers when guests complain, point them at Epcot and tell them how to get there.

Step 2, parking is closed, redirect parking to Epcot's larger lot. Tell guests you will transport them from Epcot to DHS, but suggest they just go through the park for "funsies."

Step 3, park is at capacity - parking still redirects to Epcot, tell those guests they can visit Epcot, so sorry, you can visit DHs when it reopens via the convenient Skyliner link and to ask a CM throughout the day or watch the app. Angry guests within the park who "can't get on any rides!" and want refunds still sent to Epcot with park hopper upgrades.

That's how it'll probably play out. MK does it all the time with Epcot.

...Funny, but probably that's the way it will happen. Sounds like a "Villains" celebration "Groundhog Day" nearly every day.

 

[Nick]

It is for now. I have to imagine when Galaxy's Edge opens, the old path (although somewhat updated) will again be utilized as a bypass road. I imagine Grand Avenue will become essentially a queue to get into Star Wars, and only then will the backstage road re-open to guests. And only on days where the line to get into Star Wars reaches that far back (so, probably for the first 4 years or so, ha!)

They may use it as a bypass when SW:GE is utilizing Grand, but over time, this is how it is meant to be. That will be the only permanent way in and out of the area.

Well, they do use that main street/backstage bypass at MK for overflow out of the park and for the MNSSHP, although that will now become a formal open area once the Main street theatre is built back there.

From what i've heard, the bypass won't be open all the time even once the theatre is there. It will be used for queuing and exiting. Entrance through Center street, exit through the gates into the hub/tomorrowland.

They don't want any mulling around.