Ever since Disney announced in August 2015 that they were building two lands based on the Star Wars universe, I have anticipated that massive crowds would descend on the parks when they opened. The success of The Force Awakens later that year only solidified the franchise’s popularity. How could an immersive land based on such a big property not draw the masses? The real question was how many hours I would have to wait to experience the attractions. I barely considered the idea that I had overestimated interest in Galaxy’s Edge.
There is no simple way to explain the lack of crowds at Disneyland this summer following the opening of Galaxy’s Edge in May. A variety of factors have led to the disappointing attendance not only in the land but across the Disneyland resort. My goal is to delve into some possible reasons for this shocking situation. I’m not an insider and have no special knowledge, but it’s intriguing to think about why Disney missed the mark with drawing crowds. Recent indications are that Disneyland is returning to normal, so this is hardly permanent.
Could Disney have avoided this potentially disastrous scenario? It depends on where you fall on why it’s happening. If the problem is just Star Wars fatigue, then only so much could make a difference. I’ll try to avoid making generalizations based on my feelings about the franchise. I grew up in the ‘80s and loved the original trilogy, and it’s been fascinating to see Disney’s choices with recent movies. I appreciated the daring choices with The Last Jedi, even if some didn’t entirely work. On the other hand, the amount of releases does make them feel less precious. Like everything surrounding this issue, it is a challenge to figure out the most important factors.
How Big Is Star Wars’ Mass Appeal?
The obvious thought when you see a quiet Galaxy’s Edge is whether we have overestimated the interest in Star Wars from many guests. It’s one thing to see the latest movie, but does that interest carry over to spending big money to visit a theme park? You would suspect that the answer to this question is yes, but now it’s unclear. I was born in 1976, just one year before the release of the original film. I have a clear memory of seeing Return of the Jedi on the big screen when I was seven. A lot of my friends grew up around the same time and became fans as a result.
The mediocre box-office performance of Solo: A Star Wars Story also signaled warning signs for Disney. Arriving in theaters just six months after the release of The Last Jedi, maybe it was just too close. On the other hand, perhaps mass audiences didn’t care enough to dive into every story. You can overstate the backlash against Rian Johnson’s film, but I cannot entirely discount it. What if Star Wars excitement is on the decline? Even if the drop is slight, that might be enough to hurt the results for Galaxy’s Edge. Was Solo a slight blip or a signal of future challenges?
Avoiding the Original Trilogy
Another interesting creative choice from Disney was creating an entirely new world in Batuu. Fans sometimes criticize modern Disney for playing it too safe, but this move is surprisingly risky for such a massive project. When you are spending multiple billion dollars on a theme park land, not presenting iconic locations and characters is a stunning decision. Guests would likely have more excitement for attractions featuring The Death Star, Hoth, or Tattoine. Iconic characters like Darth Vader, Princess Leia, Han Solo, and Yoda don’t play a role here.
It makes sense for synergy to connect Galaxy’s Edge to the universe of the current films. On the other hand, this choice relies on fans having the same affection for Rey and Kylo Ren as the original stars. Choosing a little-known character like Hondo Ohnaka to anchor the queue of the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run attraction is even more puzzling. Diehard fans may appreciate the nod to The Clone Wars TV series, but there is no mass recognition for Hondo.
From an artistic standpoint, I love that Disney didn’t just build a book report attraction from the original trilogy. They created a new world that has endless possibilities, at least in theory. The promises of interactive droids roaming the land and guests experiencing their own stories have largely fallen by the wayside. Without those additional interactive moments, the focus shifts back to the attractions. Will they connect with us on the same level as those past films?
Harry Potter and the Emotional Connection
You can’t discuss Galaxy’s Edge without thinking of Universal’s success with Harry Potter. Attractions in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley are set within a particular era and connect directly to characters and moments from the books and movies. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey does a masterful job of including classic parts of those stories into a single experience. We ride a broom around the castle, are frightened by spiders and Dementors, and come face to face with a dragon. It also includes Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the queue and during the attraction.
Beyond the rides’ specifics, these lands work directly with guests’ emotions. Both adults and kids dress up in robes and feel like they have walked into the stories they loved. The designs of both lands feel like they are part of the universe we know. There is no obstacle of learning about new stories and characters. Despite its operational difficulties, the new Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure continues that trend. Who doesn’t want to race away from the massive three-headed dog Fluffy? Universal is using our dreams about Harry Potter and letting us run wild in this world. Diagon Alley brilliantly gives us freedom to explore this universe.
What can Disney do to create the same emotional bond with guests? Everyone mentions the full-size Millennium Falcon as being a highlight. That is a perfect example of a way that Galaxy’s Edge hits our core fandom. It’s fun to drink blue milk, but that is more of an Instagram moment than something incredible. Will guests keep returning to this land to connect with Star Wars? In the current incarnation, I don’t believe that’s likely. The big question is the missing piece.
The Rise of the Resistance Factor
All of this discussion could be a moot point when Rise of the Resistance opens to complete the land. Disney recently announced the opening dates of December 5 for Walt Disney World and January 17, 2020 for Disneyland. I believe we would have much larger crowds if Disney had waited to open Galaxy’s Edge. The unexpected technical challenges of their complicated headliner placed Disney at a crossroads. Should they wait to open the land until everything is ready or just go ahead with one attraction? For a public company needing short-term profits, waiting made little sense. Unfortunately, it also gave many guests a reason to delay their trips.
If Rise of the Resistance opens and doesn’t move the needle and draw crowds, then Disney has a serious problem. I don’t expect that to happen, but I am also flying blind with only limited info about this attraction. It sounds like an ambitious epic that should rank among the best theme park experiences out there. The reviews of Smuggler’s Run have been mixed, and Disney cannot afford to have a similar reaction to Rise of the Resistance.
Upcharges and Capacity Challenges
The selling point from Disney for Galaxy’s Edge is that the land is the attraction. The set design looks remarkable, and it is a massive space, so I can understand that assessment. Along with Smuggler’s Run, the other two main experiences are Savi’s Workshop and Oga’s Cantina. Both should be exciting to guests, but each has a limitation. Many guests that visit Galaxy’s Edge will probably leave without experiencing these locations.
First of all, Savi’s Workshop gives you the chance to create a customized lightsaber that is much different from the plastic ones. I have heard raves about the experience, but there is a big catch. Each lightsaber costs $200 plus tax, an eye-popping number that will add up quickly for families. You can only experience Savi’s if you buy a lightsaber. I’m not expecting Disney to give away merchandise, but the exorbitant price is going to leave some fans disappointed. You can also build a droid at the Droid Depot, but that will cost another $100. That is a hefty price for even a devoted Star Wars fan.
Oga’s Cantina doesn’t recreate a spot from the movies, but it will be a big draw. The challenge is that Disney created an intimate space that has a maximum occupancy of 276 people. It’s a great experience if you can reserve a spot, but those slots disappear quickly. Drinks are also expensive, but that isn’t as surprising as the small space. I do not believe the obstacles at either Savi’s or Oga’s are keeping guests from Galaxy’s Edge, but they are hurting word of mouth. In a locals-driven market like Disneyland’s, it is a risky proposition to deter return guests.
The Los Angeles Olympics Example
I know this post may come off as negative, but I am trying to recognize factors both within and outside of Disney’s control. Fears about massive crowds for Galaxy’s Edge were rampant, and Disney created an initial reservation system that limited access to the land. This recalls a famous example from the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Fears were rampant about insane traffic with the events spread across the large area. The gridlock never happened. I have read multiple theories for why that didn’t occur, including this recent article by Alissa Walker.
The opening of a theme park land has little in common with the Olympics, but the example offers another possibility for why Disneyland isn’t mobbed. Perhaps Disney’s reservation system in June spread out the crowds to a manageable number? Guests might have decided to stay home at first, which helped avoid the long lines we expected. This example has more credence when you consider the fact that all of Disneyland was slow, not just Galaxy’s Edge. Crowds weren’t just visiting the park and avoiding the new land because they don’t care about Star Wars.
Immersive Lands: The Wave of the Future?
The success of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for Universal signaled that lands based on a single property could draw huge crowds. Disney opened Cars Land at DCA, which helped to revitalize that park. Pandora: The World of Avatar also drew attention to Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 2017. On the other hand, there is considerable risk with investing such a large amount of capital into a new land. Universal helped stem that issue by retrofitting two existing roller coasters in Orlando when they created Hogsmeade. Lands built from scratch, especially massive ones like Galaxy’s Edge, need to draw tremendous crowds to warrant such a major investment.
If Galaxy’s Edge fails to maintain its popularity over the long haul, it does raise questions about the feasibility of immersive lands. There are a limited number of properties with such a universal appeal (no pun intended) to warrant a dedicated area. This is very different from creating a new pavilion in Future World or adding an attraction to an unused expansion pad. Galaxy’s Edge required a new infrastructure that was not in place; there are no overlays in this space. Guests will definitely be curious to experience the attractions and visit the land, but is that enough?
The True Test for Galaxy’s Edge
There are far more questions than answers when it comes to Galaxy’s Edge. Walt Disney World’s version at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will open in August 29th. I don’t expect that Disney will do a reservation system like they did for Disneyland in June. Instead, the extra Extra Magic Hours should give resort guests a huge head start. The park will open at 6 a.m. from September 1 to November 2. Fans willing to wake up early should be able to visit Galaxy’s Edge without massive waits. This perk should also better spread out the crowds with many finishing in the opening hours.
The real test for the success of Galaxy’s Edge will occur when both resorts have Rise of the Resistance open next year. Until that time, there are too many variables to make a definite conclusion. Regardless, I suspect that Disney is more nervous than they expected to be in 2015. I can’t help but wonder if larger trends with the parks are behind the issues. Disney has repeatedly increased pricing during recent years. When we reach the tipping point where guests stay home, it will be too late for Disney to react. There are countless other entertainment options competing for our time, and many are a lot cheaper. The struggles with Galaxy’s Edge should be a warning sign to Disney about becoming too complacent. It takes more than new lands to create dedicated fans.
What are your thoughts on Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and the crowds thus far at Disneyland? I’ve love to hear your thoughts in the comments section.
Hi Dan
Interesting article. I am going to Anaheim in November, so looking forward to seeing it, though pity the main ride wont be open.
Two things that don’t really work for me are….
1/ The lack of original characters. I am 50, I was never a BIG Star Wars fan, but I did enjoy it in my childhood and it seems very very odd not to use darth vader etc.
2/ IP fatigue, I know Disney has always used some IPs in it’s theme parks – but now creating whole lands, I just wonder if it is taking the parks too far away from their original uniqueness of themes and ideas. The thought of a star wars themed land within the Disneyland park, never seemed quite right to me. But works in Hollywood Studios. Maybe they are over-doing IP theming?
Mike
Good points, Mike. I’ve enjoyed the recent films, but I agree that it seems odd to not have more attention on the original characters in the land. I wonder if there will be a lessening of the need to stick with the First Order story line in the future. I’ve definitely experienced the IP fatigue with the parks, especially since there isn’t the balance anymore. With Bob Iger and Bob Chapek in charge, they’re going to try and make sure they’re always selling the brand. It’s hard for me to gauge the feelings of guests beyond diehard Disney fans about IP, however. I assumed that Star Wars would be a gigantic draw, and while the jury is still out with Walt Disney World’s version not open (plus Rise of the Resistance), there may be some cracks in my assumption. It’s going to be interesting.
Hi Dan,
Thanks for the great article. I’m 60 yrs old. With I living in Southern California and a big Disney and Star Wars I have kept away because as you said: The ticket prices are crazy and was expecting large crowds. I’ll eventually go but will wait until Sept. when the kids are back in school and the summer crowds die down.
Thanks,
George
George, I think your response is what a lot of people are doing. With such high prices, the last thing anyone wants to do is battle the crowds to be first. This is especially true when the weather gets warmer in the summer. I do have a feeling we’ll never see the mad rush that I expected, as it will be more spread out throughout the fall.
I think it’s possible that Disney knows that a huge proportion of the Disneyland visitors are AP holders and restricted them to intentionally keep the crowds down. The AP holders will come; Disney Parks management would rather have positive reviews of the experience with lower crowds than have the primary review be “it’s crowded.”
I agree that Disney was concerned about the crowds that would arrive if AP holders weren’t blocked. It led to a good experience for early guests. What I don’t believe they expected was the impact on the entire resort. They initially blocked cast members and then quickly changed their tune. They also stopped using the virtual queue to get into the land once the reservation period was over (which wasn’t the plan initially). It’s a tricky balance for Disney because they want good reviews like you mentioned, but there is a flip side where the impression ends up being that no one really cares too much about Galaxy’s Edge. I’m interested to see what happens in Florida.
Good post, Dan. I’d place most of the blame on (a) Rise of the Resistance, (b) fear of crowds, and (c) the upcharge costs. I’m not going to take my family on a special trip just for one ride. It’s also tough to tell how much the activities in the app can be done as a group or family. I expected huge crowds, and we’re not really in a position to do a trip on short notice now that crowds seem manageable. My kids would love to build a lightsaber, but right now I don’t even want them to know that’s an option at $200 a pop. So we’ll just wait until next year, when we were already planning on going and any kinks (like droids roaming the land) have been worked out.
Thanks! I agree on all three counts. The upcharge costs are an underrated part of the lukewarm reaction. I’m doing a quick trip to Florida to see Galaxy’s Edge in September, and I won’t even do those on my own. On a family trip, there’s no way that we would do the lightsabers or the droids due to the cost. So with only one attraction, there’s a limit on things to do there. Rise of the Resistance is going to help a lot for sure, but the business decisions with this land have some issues.
Another factor may be general distrust in Disney’s technology. I know it’s different departments, but the app and website continue to be unreliable (see, e.g., the customized magic band debacle, which continues). When Pandora opened, it apparently took a while to get the fire alarms ironed out. I fear things not working more than I’d appreciate being able to be one of the first to experience something.
As Jim Hill pointed out, a lot of the messaging from Disney (including the very existence of any kind of reservation system) was implying they were expecting huge crowds. So perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that people respond to that by waiting.
Right. Disney did everything to prep for big crowds, and in a locals market like Anaheim, a lot of fans were good with waiting a few months. Not having two attractions just made the decision easier, and early reports of Smugglers Run not being a home run didn’t help either.
Disney has put themselves in a hard spot… one they have consciously created themselves. The noble attempt to bring in young girls to the franchise has been heavy handed and they have mismanaged the SW IP badly. Disney knows they can’t survive on 50-70 yo males, so they have to develop new fans, so why not create new BOY & GIRL fans. Seems logical. But the incredibly divisive TLJ (The Last Jedi) and the meaningless death of Han Solo have distanced the older fans from the Franchise. And if Dad won’t support Star Wars, the kids don’t get excited.
Disney has LOUDLY complained that there is “NO DISNEY STAR WARS – there is only STAR WARS”. Then, Galaxy’s Edge opens with only Disney Star Wars LARP’ers. The left hand doesn’t work with the right hand. Confused, expensive, and has chosen to change Star Wars by destroying the old characters rather than seamlessly (and happily) transitioning New from Old.
I was SO EXCITED to bring my family to Star Wars Disney in 2015, now, I won’t spend my money on the current Star Wars model of things. Disney is big and survive me not spending the nearly $6000 I was going to spend in Orlando. And Disney has provided NOTHING for my small kids to do at Galaxy’s edge… nothing but shop and eat …
It’s the DISNEY MAGIC minus the MAGIC.
It’s a tricky subject, especially when you consider that Harrison Ford likely only agreed to do The Force Awakens if Han Solo would die. He even wanted Han to have a noble death in Return of the Jedi. There also are quite a few fans of The Last Jedi out there, but I agree that it’s hardly a universal gem among fans. You make a good point about what there is to do for kids at Galaxy’s Edge. I won’t be doing the lightsabers or droids with my girls when we all go. It’s just too expensive to justify when you also factor in rising ticket prices. I hope they end up making some adjustments in the future to provide a better experience at Galaxy’s Edge. The land looks stunning, and having the second attraction will definitely help. Right now, it’s just not fully functioning as it was designed. Thanks for the comment!