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

[shiekra38]

Problem is DHS’s attendance is already significantly over estimated. 9 attractions and they pull in over ten million a year? No way, they’re a 6-7 mill a year park now.

This is something I have been wondering as I hear a lot of “wow biggest ever” talk. Star Wars has been in the parks for decades, with DHS being the Star Wars Park for awhile. I wonder if people are over estimating the amount of people who will go the first year. Not saying it’ll be none or small, but all other hype puts it at levels unprecedented and I do question that.

I was thinking about this last night...Star Wars is already inside of the parks, and even has a ride...When HP opened there was nothing related to Harry Potter in any park..You had to go all the way to London to get a studio tour..

I wonder how this will affect Star Wars Land...or if it will

 

[bob albert]

Problem is DHS’s attendance is already significantly over estimated. 9 attractions and they pull in over ten million a year? No way, they’re a 6-7 mill a year park now.

This is something I have been wondering as I hear a lot of “wow biggest ever” talk. Star Wars has been in the parks for decades, with DHS being the Star Wars Park for awhile. I wonder if people are over estimating the amount of people who will go the first year. Not saying it’ll be none or small, but all other hype puts it at levels unprecedented and I do question that.

I don't think anyone is overestimating crowds in the first year. The amount of people delaying vacations to go when this opens is huge. The marketing behind this is going to be huge. Look at how sustained the avatar lines have been in part becuase disney fans are so starved for new attractions. It's more a question of how big the permanent increase in attendence will be.

 

[twebber55]

Out of interest, is anyone expecting a big increase in attendance to DHS when Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge opens, like the 30% increase that IOA got when WWoHP opened in 2010?

i fully expect at least a 30% jump pushing DHS to 13 million or so

 

[Nick]

I certainly don't think this is going to have Hogsmeade level crowding (especially since it will be opening after Disneyland), but don't we always talk about how tourists, in a way, sort of seem like they're going in blind? We should we all of a sudden give them the benefit of the doubt that just bc Star Tours exists, big crowds won't come? They'll see the promo and see Disney advertising a new land based on Star Wars and people will show up in droves.

Hell, look at simply what's going on with TSL. There's currently two Toy Story based rides on property and one at DHS... yet the amount of buzz i'm hearing for a kiddie land is ridiculous. If TSL can generate this type of buzz while also having a ride in the park for 10 years already, then that should tell you that SWL is going to be absolutely nuts.

i fully expect at least a 30% jump pushing DHS to 13 million or so

I expect a nice jump, but I also think it could reach 13M (on the TEA Report) without jumping 30% easy. I know TEA is sketchy but it at least gives us numbers to play with. I expect a decent jump just this year with TSL opening.

 

[twebber55]

I certainly don't think this is going to have Hogsmeade level crowding (especially since it will be opening after Disneyland), but don't we always talk about how tourists, in a way, sort of seem like they're going in blind? We should we all of a sudden give them the benefit of the doubt that just bc Star Tours exists, big crowds won't come? They'll see the promo and see Disney advertising a new land based on Star Wars and people will show up in droves.

Hell, look at simply what's going on with TSL. There's currently two Toy Story based rides on property and one at DHS... yet the amount of buzz i'm hearing for a kiddie land is ridiculous. If TSL can generate this type of buzz while also having a ride in the park for 10 years already, then that should tell you that SWL is going to be absolutely nuts.


I expect a nice jump, but I also think it could reach 13M (on the TEA Report) without jumping 30% easy. I know TEA is sketchy but it at least gives us numbers to play with. I expect a decent jump just this year with TSL opening.

it unquestionably will have hogsmeade crowding
in my opinion of course

 

[Nick]

Hogsmeade level crowds are something that simply don't happen. Will it be close? I'd assume it will be the closest since. I just don't see crowds like that ever happening for anything again. Ever.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

Hogsmeade level crowds are something that simply don't happen. Will it be close? I'd assume it will be the closest since. I just don't see crowds like that ever happening like that for anything again. Ever.

Perhaps we should compare it more to Diagon's level of crowds?

 

[Mad Dog]

it unquestionably will have hogsmeade crowding
in my opinion of course

No doubt. 26,000 Disney hotel rooms on site plus private hotels on site. A dearth of new attractions the past decade or so. Yes, GESWL will constantly be crowded, Hogsmeade level...... Of course, nothing will probably ever recreate opening day at Hogsmeade for a crowd line. That was once in a lifetime stuff.

 

[Nick]

Perhaps we should compare it more to Diagon's level of crowds?

Probably better. I already see crowds stretching all the way throughout the park and the park closing to capacity early in the day. But just because that happens doesn't mean it's Hogsmeade level. Hell, Pandora made DAK close to capacity on opening day before 9am.

Let's also not forget that if this opens around Christmas 2019 as speculated, the majority of FL AP's will be blocked out until January, which will cut down on the number of people that go on opening day.

 

[Skold]

Hogsmeade level crowds are something that simply don't happen. Will it be close? I'd assume it will be the closest since. I just don't see crowds like that ever happening for anything again. Ever.

Surely we can all agree that the reason that happened was because UNI was not prepared for that. Blame-throwing aside, every theme park has learned from that mistake and it wont happen again.

 

[Nick]

Surely we can all agree that the reason that happened was because UNI was not prepared for that. Blame-throwing aside, every theme park has learned from that mistake and it wont happen again.

ummmm... yes and no.

Universal surely was not prepared for those crowds and they didn't have an efficient system in place for people to see it, but that was certainly not the only reason. I mean, the attendance that day was just crazy pants. The park was packed to the gills all throughout the walkways all over the lagoon and even throughout much of CityWalk. That's really not the type of crowds you could've planned for as they had never happened before.

Nowadays with big openings, Disney and Universal prepare as if the crowds will be that size just to be safe, but realistically crowds will likely never hit this level ever again on an opening day (although I am slightly worried about Disneyland due to their parking situation):

 

[captainmoch]

Nowadays with big openings, Disney and Universal prepare as if the crowds will be that size just to be safe, but realistically crowds will likely never hit this level ever again on an opening day (although I am slightly worried about Disneyland due to their parking situation):

You know, Summer 2019 sounds like the perfect time to visit Disney... California Adventure.

 

[GAcoaster]

I just don't think that DHS can physically handle the numbers they are expecting. The entrance and walkways are physically too small for the crowds they get now, let alone adding 30% more guests. I'm really surprised they haven't been doing more to ease the entry/exit traffic flow in preparation.

Google Maps

That backstage road (which gets used for the Fantasmic eixt) should become an onstage road both directions to help with the congestion now. There should be no sending guests through backstage areas unless it's truly an emergency, and if they are going to use it all the time they should do what they did with the Main Street bypass and make it "guest ready" all the time.

 

[Nick]

I just don't think that DHS can physically handle the numbers they are expecting. The entrance and walkways are physically too small for the crowds they get now, let alone adding 30% more guests. I'm really surprised they haven't been doing more to ease the entry/exit traffic flow in preparation.

Google Maps

That backstage road (which gets used for the Fantasmic eixt) should become an onstage road both directions to help with the congestion now. There should be no sending guests through backstage areas unless it's truly an emergency, and if they are going to use it all the time they should do what they did with the Main Street bypass and make it "guest ready" all the time.

They are adding a lot of guest space with TSL and SWL, but it's still not enough as you mention. This is why I always call for animation to be expanded when people talk the future of DHS. It would be another are where they can expanded the footprint of the park simply by using backstage areas that could easily be moved elsewhere.

 

[Mad Dog]

I love DHS, BUT, with the lack of attraction capacity and small public walking areas, I'm staying away from there for a couple of years once GESWL opens. DHS will be so uncomfortably overcrowded that it will make for a aggravating day.

 

[Bulldog45]

I get that Harry Potter is/was a big deal to a lot of people (just like Star Wars), but seeing that picture again of all those people just amazes me. I would never plan my trip around the opening of a new major land like Harry Potter or Star Wars. I just don't see the fun in waiting in all those lines and being sandwiched between people (especially the ones that forget their deodorant) all day. But that's just me.

 

[Mad Dog]

I get that Harry Potter is/was a big deal to a lot of people (just like Star Wars), but seeing that picture again of all those people just amazes me. I would never plan my trip around the opening of a new major land like Harry Potter or Star Wars. I just don't see the fun in waiting in all those lines and being sandwiched between people (especially the ones that forget their deodorant) all day. But that's just me.

:thumbsup::agree:

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I wonder how many guests will think that Star Tours is the new ride and not even enter the land itself, LOL.

It's going to be interesting how Disney regulates crowd flow for the land. Will they do ticketed entry for the first few weeks? Queue?

Speaking of capacity, I don't think capacity for the park will be too bad will still be bad, but not too dramatic) since the park is somewhat balanced now. Instead of the two main attractions (ToT and RnR) being in one corner, you have two new lands on the opposite side to balance the park.

 

[ush.hacker]

Seeing crying children in strollers playing with bubble wands is my worst fear for this land.
*I just fear for the level of immersion in general

 

[UniversalRBLX]

Seeing crying children in strollers playing with bubble wands is my worst fear for this land.

"May the bubbles be with you"