Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge News - Updated 2/28/19

[Sarah1024]

We booked a stay next December the 10th to the 17th! We're really hoping SWGE will be open by then! When do you think there will be a firmer date? When was Pandora finalized and a date given? Or TSL? Thanks!

 

[nkosiek]

I believe Pandora was out sometime in Feb/March. TSL was announced on GMA in February.

 

[Sarah1024]

I believe Pandora was out sometime in Feb/March. TSL was announced on GMA in February.

But did they hit their deadlines? How far in advance of their openings were they announced?

 

[rteetz]

But did they hit their deadlines? How far in advance of their openings were they announced?

What are you referring too?

Pandora was always announced as 2017. Then during the Disney Quarterly Earnings report on Feb. 7th the opening date was announced by Bob Iger.

For Toy Story Land it was announced Feb. 16th that it would open June 30th. There were no previews for Toy Story Land. There were nearly 2 months of previews for Pandora.

 

[nkosiek]

But did they hit their deadlines? How far in advance of their openings were they announced?

Deadlines? Deadlines? We're talking deadlines? Don't nobody care about deadlines. (channeling my inner Allen Iverson here)

Seriously, they've given themselves a broad range. They originally said Summer of 2018 for TSL and it opened before the 4th of July. Now, in the past, Summer has meant anytime from Memorial Day until September. I personally was hoping for a Memorial Day opening due to a mid-June trip. Didn't happen. Oh well.

Same thing for Pandora. Was originally a "Summer" opening. They had it opened in time for Memorial Day.

I think the only thing I've heard is Fall-2019 for SWGE, and as I've stated a number of times, that gives them until December 19th. I'd think they'll try to open sometime between the end of F&W and Thanksgiving. That's a nice 2 week window where crowds are a bit lower, and they can work out some kinks. That said, if they waited until after Thanksgiving, I wouldn't be surprised. With as busy as Fall has become, I'm kinda surprised they don't just can it until say April 20th, 2020. They could really make sure that everything is right. Based on the amount of computing power is going into these rides, I'd hope they test the hell out of them and the cooling systems because I can see mass hysteria if there is some down time that leads to outages.

 

[intertile]

Deadlines? Deadlines? We're talking deadlines? Don't nobody care about deadlines. (channeling my inner Allen Iverson here)

Seriously, they've given themselves a broad range. They originally said Summer of 2018 for TSL and it opened before the 4th of July. Now, in the past, Summer has meant anytime from Memorial Day until September. I personally was hoping for a Memorial Day opening due to a mid-June trip. Didn't happen. Oh well.

Same thing for Pandora. Was originally a "Summer" opening. They had it opened in time for Memorial Day.

I think the only thing I've heard is Fall-2019 for SWGE, and as I've stated a number of times, that gives them until December 19th. I'd think they'll try to open sometime between the end of F&W and Thanksgiving. That's a nice 2 week window where crowds are a bit lower, and they can work out some kinks. That said, if they waited until after Thanksgiving, I wouldn't be surprised. With as busy as Fall has become, I'm kinda surprised they don't just can it until say April 20th, 2020. They could really make sure that everything is right. Based on the amount of computing power is going into these rides, I'd hope they test the hell out of them and the cooling systems because I can see mass hysteria if there is some down time that leads to outages.

The ride systems will be begin testing well advance of the land opening. The ride buildings have been done for some time, and the rides themselves could be completed by January 2019. The rest of the land will take time to construct and complete. Theoretically they could be testing the ride systems out for 6 months prior to the land opening.

 

[intertile]

Just ran across this:

Disney is Tweaking The Millennium Falcon Ride at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
Disney is Tweaking The Millennium Falcon Ride at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

https://www.slashfilm.com/millennium-falcon-ride/

Shared from my Google feed

This is exactly what a lot of us were expecting to be a problem

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Just ran across this:

Disney is Tweaking The Millennium Falcon Ride at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
Disney is Tweaking The Millennium Falcon Ride at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

https://www.slashfilm.com/millennium-falcon-ride/

Shared from my Google feed

This is exactly what a lot of us were expecting to be a problem

Yeah. I remember hearing “you could crash the ship” talk, which struck me as impossible. I can’t see how they wouldn’t get panned if a person’s ride experience rests that heavily with potential strangers they’ve been grouped with. Untenable. Especially after people have waited in line for hours. That would get ugly very quickly.

 

[rteetz]

Just ran across this:

Disney is Tweaking The Millennium Falcon Ride at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
Disney is Tweaking The Millennium Falcon Ride at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

https://www.slashfilm.com/millennium-falcon-ride/

Shared from my Google feed

This is exactly what a lot of us were expecting to be a problem

I’m not shocked but do take the source into consideration. It’s Jim Hill.

 

[The Pho]

I’m not shocked but do take the source into consideration. It’s Jim Hill.

I like that they stated that Hill is a very reliable source.

 

[DanBoris]

Just ran across this:

Disney is Tweaking The Millennium Falcon Ride at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
Disney is Tweaking The Millennium Falcon Ride at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

https://www.slashfilm.com/millennium-falcon-ride/

Shared from my Google feed

This is exactly what a lot of us were expecting to be a problem

The article is factually in-accurate on at least one point.

"seven pods in operation at any one time"

There are seven pods on each turntable, but four turntables, to that's 28 pods in operation at any one time.

 

[rteetz]

The article is factually in-accurate on at least one point.

"seven pods in operation at any one time"

There are seven pods on each turntable, but four turntables, to that's 28 pods in operation at any one time.

Good point.

 

[YesterDark]

Tweaking is fine, but you have to set up expectations of the ride if you can "fail". People need to know what they're getting in to before the even get into the line. You can alleviate a lot of frustration that way.

 

[hertamaniac]

Yeah. I remember hearing “you could crash the ship” talk, which struck me as impossible. I can’t see how they wouldn’t get panned if a person’s ride experience rests that heavily with potential strangers they’ve been grouped with. Untenable. Especially after people have waited in line for hours. That would get ugly very quickly.

Agree. So a question I have is how can they mitigate this experience if a party member fails?

 

[The Pho]

Tweaking is fine, but you have to set up expectations of the ride if you can "fail". People need to know what they're getting in to before the even get into the line. You can alleviate a lot of frustration that way.

They just need to make the failure fun also have the ship crash in the spirit of the original Star Tours comet crash or something like that.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Agree. So a question I have is how can they mitigate this experience if a party member fails?

I was thinking some kind of "override". But if they really want guests' performances to "follow them" in the parks somehow, I assume their poor or excellent performance could be "recorded" and follow them, without having the whole mission fail as a result. Don't know...

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

They just need to make the failure fun also have the ship crash in the spirit of the original Star Tours comet crash or something like that.

And how do they ensure the length of the ride is the same in that event? Honestly, I wouldn't be happy if I waited in line for ages and teammates caused the ship to crash. Nope.

ETA: And on the flip side, I'd be MORTIFIED if I was the one who caused the mission to fail for everyone!!! That is not a fun time.

 

[mcjaco]

Does Jim Hill ever have any good things to report? LOL.

I stopped listening/reading him years ago.

 

[The Pho]

And how do they ensure the length of the ride is the same in that event? Honestly, I wouldn't be happy if I waited in line for ages and teammates caused the ship to crash. Nope.

ETA: And on the flip side, I'd be MORTIFIED if I was the one who caused the mission to fail for everyone!!! That is not a fun time.

There could be varying crash sequences that engage when a failure occurs. A crash wouldn't have to mean a shorter ride, just a different experience. Like I said, as long as the crash is still a fun experience, people would be happy. And a crash sequence doesn't have to mean a shorter ride.

 

[YesterDark]

They just need to make the failure fun also have the ship crash in the spirit of the original Star Tours comet crash or something like that.

Yeah but apparently that has some repercussions in the park. I assume it's CMs harassing you for crashing the ship.