The opening of the much anticipated Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a source for much excitement. I am just as excited to see how imagineers transport us to a long time ago in a galaxy far far away. Star Wars is beloved by so many, myself included. It’s only natural that fans from all over will be making the pilgrimage to Galaxy’s Edge so they can live their favorite galaxy saga adventures in person. With the influx of crowds to Walt Disney World, there are bound to be some negatives that come along with the positives. These are the four things that I speculate could become unpleasant for park goers with the arrival of the new Star Wars themed land to Walt Disney World.
Price Increase
Disneyland has already seen a significant price increase as it prepares for Galaxy’s Edge to open this summer. It is probably safe to say that Walt Disney World will experience similar increases. As an annual passholder, I am bracing myself for my pass to be much more this year. I hope that this new land will be worth the price!
Crowds
If the opening of Pandora and Toy Story Land are any indication of future crowd levels then we need to embrace ourselves for a tsunami of people. In addition to the opening of Galaxy’s Edge, Walt Disney World will be opening up several more on property resorts. The parks are already pretty crowded and I can’t even imagine how the parks are going to accommodate the increase of guests on Walt Disney World property. Maybe Disney already has a plan for this… I really hope they do.
Oversaturation
I loved going to Stars Wars weekends when it was offered at Hollywood Studios. It was fun because the offerings were limited and felt special. Right now, it doesn’t feel as special. One cast member summed it up perfectly when he said that Hollywood Studios is a salute to all movies, but mostly Star Wars. I hope that once Star Wars gets its own land then the other parts of Hollywood Studios will be freed up for other characters and/or intellectual property experiences. My vote is for the Muppets to have a stronger presence! My fear is that it might be a repeat of Frozen’s popularity and overuse in the parks. It got to the point where every visit I would say, “If I hear THAT song one more time…”
Extinct Osborne Family Lights
Some beloved attractions need to be retired in the name of progress. It makes sense to use this space for Star Wars, but I’m still going to miss the Osborne Family lights. In full disclosure, I have a hard time accepting most changes. I’m still a little salty about the closure of the Great Movie Ride. Despite that fact, I am willing to give most new experiences a chance. I am not a fan of the Avatar film, but still love the submersive theming of Pandora. I think I’m a little sad that a family holiday tradition is gone. Hollywood Studios has put together additional holiday offerings, but I’d like to see something more engaging than the myriad of projection shows. Is it possible we’ll find out how holidays are celebrated at the edge of the galaxy?
All of this is only speculative and we will not know the full scope of the impact of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge until it actually opens. What are your thoughts?
