Am I the only one that is unimpressed with SWGE - where is the juice?

Honestly, Disney's mistake, for those who believe there was one (and I understand there are those who believe there wasn't) might have been setting the expectation that THIS immersive land was going to upend the Boy Wizard down the road, reclaim the title of Most Innovative Immersion In A Theme Park from Universal, and draw not-ordinarily-theme-park-people to Disney. Because that is what was telegraphed, and so far, it hasn't materialized (thereby causing some to focus on the fact that it hasn't materialized and driving everyone who loves the land crazy).

If Disney had either (1) set the expectation that they were going to create a elaborate and meticulously detailed Star Wars-inspired land for Disney fans; or (2) followed through on a lot of the immersive elements that were either cut (stunt shows, aliens, Equity actors, droids and drones rolling/flying about) or that were never feasible to begin with (personalized interactions with CM's depending on your chosen alliance and skill on MFSR), they might have gotten there. They might STILL get there yet, as ROTR should completely reset the bar for theme park rides if it works as advertised, and there is no reason they can't decide to invest in stunt shows, aliens, droids, drones, etc.
I agree. I think cutting some of those atmosphere elements has hurt them. Pandora doesn’t have a ton but does have some to keep people occupied. RotR will certainly help things too.
 
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So I was at a picnic tonight wearing a Galaxy’s Edge shirt. It was definitely a conversation starter! I had at least three different groups of people ask me about it/how was it etc. at least two of them were excited to see it and planning trips but had not been yet.
 


I agree. I think cutting some of those atmosphere elements has hurt them. Pandora doesn’t have a ton but does have some to keep people occupied. RotR will certainly help things too.
Yeah, and there's nothing saying they won't add more down the road once things become settled. Right now everyone's still letting the dust settle, and many haven't even gone yet for fear of crowds. So once the land really gets established, it's possible they'll start adding more. Given that Star Wars is such a huge property that they own, I doubt they'll just let it be and hope people like it.
 
Yeah, and there's nothing saying they won't add more down the road once things become settled. Right now everyone's still letting the dust settle, and many haven't even gone yet for fear of crowds. So once the land really gets established, it's possible they'll start adding more. Given that Star Wars is such a huge property that they own, I doubt they'll just let it be and hope people like it.

I see it as with all the rest of the parks, a learning curve, hopefully they will continue to grow...

This guy has some really good points...

And the debate goes on as the haters gonna hate and the cheerleaders gonna cheer......popcorn::
 


as a LAND, I like SWGE better than Pandora. Pandora has the best ride though. I can't be sure about that until RoR opens, obviously.

I know I'm a semi frequent visitor but right now it's go in Pandora and ride FOP and get out. I don't stay to ride the other ride, see the drum show, shop, or eat at Satulii (it's good, but I would rather be in Nomad Lounge so that is where I go.) Don't know yet, but I could see myself hanging around in Batuu without even doing the ride unless it's a short wait or single rider. Don't know what will happen when RoR opens.
 
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I equally like both Pandora and SWGE-

I do think ROTR will be a good ride-but nothing like it was amped up to be- Why- cause of how they cut out the things they advertised up until the opening. Does SWGE need more- probably, was I disappointed in the land-No- a show a day would be a start.

Is it because attendance has been down in Orlando a reason to say SWGE is a fail- No, BUT attendance in Orlando has been low in the past-and Disney was wall to wall people- so lower than normal at Disney is an anomaly.

I still think it's an over priced cheaply made Star Wars mall.

Just because I think this-which is a Disney created perception, doesn't mean I don't like Star Wars or the parks in general- I am going again in December for the 7th time. (AP expires at the end of December)

As said before- if Disney would focus on delivering the magic, the money will flow.
 
We just got back from our trip and of course we went to SWGE. I think Disney did the right thing with making everyday early entry for resort guests & making it so early. It kept HS from being crowded. For us, we went for 6am opening & were walking out at 8:45am.
As for the land, eh, good & bad. The scenery is cool looking, though I could see how it would get really hot in the hottest part of the day in the marketplace area when crowded. The merchandise was expensive, but it’s Disney & they have been continuously pushing the price point on everything lately, to the point of upsetting even their most loyal fan base (IMO). I really wasn't impressed with the ride. I expected so much more & maybe it was because of all the hype, I don’t know. I just wasn’t impressed. At no point during the ride did I feel I was in a ship or feel any connection to the ride story. I felt like I was in a closed pod, looking at a screen. And we did have good pilots, so that wasn’t an issue. I also feel that Disney put too many cookies in their SW cookie jar, and the cookies are a tad dry. Sooooo, not as juicy as they promised.
 
I have not been yet, but have been viewing a lot from a far. I can say that I wasn't overly excited for SWGE, but I am looking forward to the land once it is completely open. My parents just got home from Disneyland, and felt the theme and scenery was amazing, but felt that Smugglers Run was a let-down. I am not a huge fan of an attraction that is dependent on others for your experience. However, I cannot wait to get there and try it out with an open mind.

As far as Pandora goes, I love it. The land is quite a site to see, FOP is awesome, and the dining options are totally worth it. The only let down for me was NRJ, but I do enjoy some aspects of it. I feel that it is too short for the wait most times, and it lacks much of a story, but that animatronic is amazing, and there is a lot to look at. It is also a cool land to see in the morning, as well as, at night. Just a few thoughts....
 
I really enjoy SW:GE, but I do think perhaps Disney overestimated just how big of a draw the Star Wars name would be. I believe their attitude going into all of this was that simply putting the name Star Wars would equal massive crowds and money. That's not necessarily the case though. The real die hard fans would probably go no matter what and be able to enjoy it, but everyone else would still want a bit more to go on than just the Star Wars name.

I enjoy the land and look forward to what will happen in the future, as I'm sure they'll keep adding and changing stuff to make the land more interesting. It is a huge investment for them after all, so I doubt they'll just let it sit. I also don't think anyone can be saying it's a failure or underperforming. There really aren't any metrics to make such assumptions, and it's far too early to say anyways. The WDW version hasn't even been open a month and plenty of people have avoided it on purpose. And I do thank those people, because I've been able to enjoy the land without much wait or hassle :)
 
Pandora is the better land in my opinion. FOP kills Smugglers Run ride wise.
Satu Li canteen has one of the best foods at Walt Disney World.
Final Verdict: Pandora 10/10 SWGE 6/10
Just keep in mind Smugglers Run is the Navi River equivalent in the Star Wars area. RotR is kind of meant to be the premier attraction of the land, but obviously the only comparison we really have is Smugglers Run right now.
 
Right now everyone's still letting the dust settle, and many haven't even gone yet for fear of crowds.

Crowds, hurricane season, recent price hikes..

I suspect all of the above has had an impact, at least in Florida.
 
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Just keep in mind Smugglers Run is the Navi River equivalent in the Star Wars area. RotR is kind of meant to be the premier attraction of the land, but obviously the only comparison we really have is Smugglers Run right now.

In which case, Disney perhaps mismanaged the opening a bit. Ideally, M&M's RR probably should have opened first, then Skyliner, then all of the new SW land.

Oh, and let us not forget the lack of FP in HS. That is also a deterrent for many folks who haven't paid extra to hop, and have been sold on the promise that they get to pre-book 3 top tier attractions before they arrive.

Mind, I think things will pick up when more attractions open, but Disney could also kill off momentum if they significantly jack prices again, and continue to erode overall customer service, like adding even more byzantine new ticket rules.

Disney would do well if they brought back the no expiration ticket policy.
 
We just got back from our vacation and were surprised at the short wait times for Smuggler's Run. While the week we were there had low crowds, in part due to the time of year and in part due to the magic 8 ball industry (A.K.A. meteorology,) the wait times were often 45 minutes or less. We walked into HS around 11am and had a 35 minute wait time from the ride entrance to stepping into the simulator. The "land" was visually pleasing, the ride was good but not outstanding. As an FYI, we were both gunners. For a brand new ride with a vast franchise following, the 45 minute or less wait times were downright shocking. Slinky Dog Dash had longer standby wait times on several occasions during our trip.

It was also our first time visiting Pandora. FOP was spectacular (and also had less than one hour wait times.) We had a FP+ for that one and were in and out in 40 minutes? Both my wife and I were much more impressed with FOP than we were with Smuggler's Run. I am sure that Rise of the Resistance will change the equation but, if we were forced to choose to do one or the other, FOP would be the choice.
 
Crowds, hurricane season, recent price hikes..

I suspect all of the above has had an impact, at least in Florida.

And in DL as well and add to that HPville is walk-on now........

Disney did this to themselves with the silly price hikes on tickets, resorts, food.........

Did they expect business as usual........silly.............
 
We just got back from our vacation and were surprised at the short wait times for Smuggler's Run. While the week we were there had low crowds, in part due to the time of year and in part due to the magic 8 ball industry (A.K.A. meteorology,) the wait times were often 45 minutes or less. We walked into HS around 11am and had a 35 minute wait time from the ride entrance to stepping into the simulator. The "land" was visually pleasing, the ride was good but not outstanding. As an FYI, we were both gunners. For a brand new ride with a vast franchise following, the 45 minute or less wait times were downright shocking. Slinky Dog Dash had longer standby wait times on several occasions during our trip.

It was also our first time visiting Pandora. FOP was spectacular (and also had less than one hour wait times.) We had a FP+ for that one and were in and out in 40 minutes? Both my wife and I were much more impressed with FOP than we were with Smuggler's Run. I am sure that Rise of the Resistance will change the equation but, if we were forced to choose to do one or the other, FOP would be the choice.
Can't compare walt times on an attraction without fp and with fp
 
Can't compare walt times on an attraction without fp and with fp

Sure I can because I just did. I am making a figurative point which you (I believe) took a bit more literal than I intended. I have seen a lot of comments in these forums that are trying to defend or tear down SWGE. I don't have an agenda at work here, just an opinion based on a first-hand experience.

IMHO, when a family roller coaster that has been open for 15 months is outdrawing a Star Wars ride that is brand new...with the attendant hype...that leaves a particular impression.

With that said, I don't mind anyone disagreeing with me.
 

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