If I Were Disney CEO Part 32B - Walt Disney World Holiday Offerings

"From all of us to all of you a very merry Christmas!
And at this joyful time of year we want you to be with us.
So get around a lovely tree where all the lights are shining.
We'll be as happy as can be while all the bells are shining."

As a bonus entry into this If I Were Disney CEO series, a festive holiday treat focusing on holiday offerings for the stateside Disney parks.  I'm of the opinion that few can celebrate the season like Disney and would love to ramp up and diversify the offerings that the parks have.  I'm focusing on the stateside parks, because while the international parks do celebrate, the offerings are nowhere close to the extent that the stateside parks undertake.  Were I to elaborate on the international parks, I would want to focus on the celebrations and customs within the particular country.

With that in mind, my goals for this exercise are to give each stateside park a unique feeling for the Christmas season, focusing on a particular component of the holidays and playing into the parks strengths.  One thing I will discuss specifically for each park to highlight the unique attributes is the tree lighting ceremony.  Each park should have one, and they should each be unique and reflect that specific park.

Today, the Walt Disney World Resort.

The Magic Kingdom:
When discussing the differences in Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom, Disneyland always comes down on the nostalgic side and the Magic Kingdom carries a bit more grandeur.  Disneyland has even been described as quaint, where as the Magic Kingdom is a bit more majestic.  Part of this comes down to the size of the castle and the image it portrays.  I think this can be used to describe the difference in the holiday offerings between the parks as well.  The Magic Kingdom's holiday offerings should focus more on the magic of the season.  Here's my holiday wishlist for the Magic Kingdom:

• A condensed Nutcracker Ballet for the Main Street Theater - The Main Street Theater needs to be used to contain a large scale Christmas production and what better and more theme appropriate than a performance of the Nutcracker ballet.  A condensed ballet would be a wonderful seasonal addition.
• Jingle Cruise - a holiday overlay of the Jungle Cruise offered since 2013.  A holiday shipment exploded over the jungle with lots of fruitcake jokes.  Allow spiked eggnog and this might be a perfect ride.
• Decorations and appropriate music in the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse - one easy addition would be to add Christmas decor to the Treehouse, to mirror the scene in the Swiss Family Robinson Movie.  Appropriate music as played on the Treehouse organ could make this a quick, holiday addition.
• Country Bear Christmas Special - As was mentioned for Disney California Adventure, this is a holiday overlay that needs to be brought back.  This version was previously offered in the Magic Kingdom and is a must to be reinstalled.
• Christmas Show in the Diamond Horseshoe - As mentioned for Disneyland, there should always be a show in the Diamond Horseshoe, and there should absolutely be a Christmas show at this season.
• Holiday Costumes for Belle and Beast in Enchanted Tales with Belle and Be Our Guest - Belle and Beast are one of the few princess and prince combinations that have appropriate holiday attire thanks to the Belle's Enchanted Christmas straight-to-dvd special.  These new costumes would make a nice festive touch.  A new storyline for Enchanted Tales with Belle would also be an easy holiday overlay.
• Broader scope for decorations in Fantasyland - the New Fantasyland area started getting Christmas decorations in 2013.  This should be expanded into Fantasyland proper, even if just for garland around the ride signage.  
• Tomorrowland decorations - Tomorrowland does have the Totally Tomorrowland Christmas and Club Tinsel shows, but there needs to be decorations in the land.  Here, it would be fun to see what a cyberpunk Christmas would look like.
• Frozen Holiday Wish - This has been a cute addition, where Elsa covers the castle in ice and causes it to snow.  Their costumes could be changed out for their holiday versions from Olaf's Frozen Adventure, but otherwise this is a solid offering.
• Once Upon A Christmastime Parade - a classic.  
• Holiday Wishes - perfect for the park.  This fireworks spectacular utilizes Jiminy Cricket, who I believe should be the voice of the park.  Excellent musical arrangements.  I would just get it out from the upcharge party earlier.
• Tree Lighting Ceremony - The Magic Kingdom's tree lighting ceremony should be accompanied by music from a town band, like the Magic Kingdom Marching band.  To me, the song I most associate with the Magic Kingdom and Christmas is We Need A Little Christmas.  That is what I envision for this ceremony.

EPCOT:
EPCOT is the park that celebrates Christmas around the world.  The cultures, the music, the variations on Santa Claus.  EPCOT should center on the majesty of the season.  With that in mind, here is my holiday wishlist for EPCOT:

• A restored Lights of Winter - The one portion of the holiday offerings that helps bridge the Future World and World Showcase sections.  With the Osborne Festival of Dancing Lights no longer offered at Hollywood Studios, the resort needs a Christmas light focused offering.  I would update them to LEDs, as those could be used to synchronize with other holiday offerings.
• its a small world holiday - With the attraction rebuilt here, the holiday offering would be a natural fit.  The Lights of Winter could lead up to the facade and tie into the projection and clock shows.  This would be the seminal attraction to tie all of the holiday offerings together.
• Festival of the Holidays - as in DCA, Disney has expanded their holiday offerings to include food booths to celebrate the holiday foods of different cultures around the world.  One area EPCOT needs to beef up would be the seasonal entertainment acts that are part of this Festival.  DCA has several incredible holiday acts.   EPCOT should have the same.
• Feliz Navidad overlay in Grand Fiesta Tour - This would seem to be an easy overlay, given the projections.  The Three Caballeros celebrating Feliz Navidad.
• Anna and Elsa in their holiday costumes - As in the Magic Kingdom, the meet and greets for Anna and Elsa should have them in their Olaf's Frozen Adventure holiday costumes.
• Holiday Storytellers - One great offering at EPCOT is the various storytellers in each country telling of their version of Santa Claus or their Christmas traditions.  I wish these were highlighted more.
• Voices of Liberty Caroling - the Voices of Liberty are one of my favorite parts of EPCOT and their Christmas Carols are amazing.  These singers are some of the best I've heard and the arrangements are impeccable.
• Candlelight Processional - A wonderful variation of the Candlelight Processional from Disneyland.  This is a classic presentation of the classic Christmas story, no changes needed.
• Holiday Illuminations - Currently Illuminations has a holiday Peace on Earth tag.  I would create a full Holiday Illuminations, designed to highlight Christmas and Holiday celebrations around the world.  For personal preference, I would highlight Heather Headley as the prominent singer of the show.  She has been in both the World of Color Seasons of Light and Winter Dreams variations.
• Tree Lighting Ceremony - EPCOT currently has a wonderfully majestic tree lighting ceremony I would continue.  A musical theme by a symphony orchestra.  It is composed of no specific identifiable Christmas melody, but is instantly recognizable as a holiday tune.

Disney Hollywood Studios:

The mission of Disney Hollywood Studios is to have guests experience their favorite movies - to put them into the worlds of their favorite films.  Christmas should be no exception and the goal should be to put them into their favorite Christmas films.  Thankfully, this could be achieved fairly easily, especially with the 20th Century Fox acquisition and the iconic Christmas film it made.

• Christmas Tree decor on the lights on Hollywood Boulevard - Taking an inspiration from Hollywood history, I would love to see these classic Christmas tree additions recreated down Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood Studios.
• Mickey's Holiday Railway - I would start working now on animation for a Christmas version of the Mickey's Runaway Railway attraction being added to the Chinese Theater.  With the screen based attraction, the animation would be most of what is necessary for a quick conversion.
• Echo Lake Christmas tree and 1950s decorations - this has been the best addition to Disney Hollywood Studios.  I would keep these attractions going, looking to plus them with the fountains in Echo Lake.
• Seasonal Shows in Superstar Television and ILM Special Effects - Superstar Television in particular would be a great place to recreate a Christmas Special.
• Jingle Bell Rock 'n Roller Coaster - This seems like a no-brainer.  A storyline centering on needing to get the gifts to Santa as quickly as possible with Run, Run Rudolph and  Jingle Bell Rock as example songs.
• Life Day acknowledgement in Galaxy's Edge - Like Disneyland, this should not be overt, but should be there.  An opportunity to celebrate the holidays in the Star Wars Universe.
• Christmas Toy Story Playland - Alien holiday tunes on Alien Swirling Saucers, jingle bells on Slinky Dog Dash.  Giant Christmas decorations, including the Angel Kitty.  Experience Christmas as a toy.
• Holiday Midway Mania - Again, the screen based attraction could be easily swapped for a Christmas themed version.  The animation should already be in progress.
• Christmas MuppetVision - I would replace the MuppetVision*3D Movie with a version that presents a tour through Muppet versions of Christmas classics.  It's A Wonderful Log, and the like.
• Muppets Present...Great Moments in a Christmas Carol - I would use the facades on Grand Avenue to present Muppets telling the story of A Christmas Carol from the windows, with a walk-around Ghost of Christmas Present character from Muppet Christmas Carol available for meet and greets.  Again, this one seems like it should have been implemented ages ago.
• Nightmare Before Christmas section - as my plans for DHS called for a Nightmare Before Christmas dark ride, this area would be perfect to play up during the holiday season.  Meet and Greets with 
• Miracle on 34th Street - One big coup in the 20th Century Fox acquisition is the inclusion of A Miracle on 34th Street.  For Christmas, this gives Disney access to THE Santa Claus. It would be great to setup a recreation of the Santa chair from the movie in a "department" store in the park for the official Santa Claus photo and wishlist opportunity.  It would also open up the next option.
• Get the Macy's Holiday Parade back from Universal - Years ago, Disney had partnered with Macy's to have the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade balloons on their Streets of America section during the Christmas season. 
  
  When that went away to eventually be replaced by the Osborne Family Lights, Universal picked up the license, creating their Universal's Holiday Parade Featuring Macy's.  With the acquisition of Miracle on 34th Street, I would be working to partner with Macy's to pick up the license as soon as it expires with Universal.  Then Disney could have the official parade and the official Santa Claus.  It would seem like a wonderfully symbiotic relationship.
• Wonderful World of Christmas fireworks - Jingle Bell, Jingle Bam is a fun show, and I like the idea of the Prep & Landing team running Christmas in Disney Hollywood Studios, but I would love to see a firework show that is a true celebration of Christmas movies.  The acquisition of 20th Century Fox presents the opportunity to work in films like Home Alone, Miracle on 34th Street, Die Hard, and Jingle All The Way with existing Disney properties like Mickey's Christmas Carol, Muppet Christmas Carol, Babes in Toyland, and Nightmare Before Christmas, in addition to the shorts and specials.
• Tree Lighting Ceremony - The tree lighting ceremony should be a celebration of Christmas in entertainment.  It's a studio chorus and orchestra playing White Christmas.  Tied to the golden age of Hollywood with searchlights on the tree.

Disney's Animal Kingdom:

Disney's Animal Kingdom has a typically subdued Christmas offering. It previously had a parade, but that is no longer an option.  I would like to keep the subdued spirit, but expand into an appropriate area - to celebrate and explore the connection of animals to the seasonal holidays.  Accordingly, here is my holiday wishlist for Disney's Animal Kingdom:

• Diwali celebration in UP - The Diwali recognition in Up! A Great Bird Adventure Show has been a great addition.  I would like to see that expanded into Asia, with the colors and lights.
• Oversized decorations in a bug's land - For my proposed bug's land addition, I would also bring the oversized decorations from Disney California Adventure.  This area was always cute in California over the holidays and should be the same here.
• Manger scene between Africa and Asia with camels, sheep, donkey - With the connection of the traditional nativity story to the Middle East and Asia continent, it would be a perfect opportunity to have a manger scene with just the animals present.  To recognize the connection of the camel, the donkey, and sheep to the Christmas story.  A scene that could be viewed and potential opportunity for an animal encounter.
• Santa's Stables at Conservation Station - Likewise, the other great animal connections to the season are reindeer and the yule goat.  The season presents a perfect opportunity to bring in these animals as seasonal attractions in an appropriate space.  Santa's Stables could also be designed to help keep the normally far northern animals cooler in Florida.
• Winter celebration in Dinoland with Ice Age takeover - With 20th Century Fox, Disney has also acquired the Ice Age franchise and has been looking for ways to bring them into the park.  Winter would seem to be the perfect opportunity to take a space from a celebration of the reptilian/avian dinosaurs to the mammals of the Ice Age.  Could be done in an appropriately tacky and delightful Chester and Hester Style.
• Holiday Tree of Life lighting ceremony - Disney Animal Kingdom presents a different challenge with the tree lighting ceremony.  The park's tree is located outside the park itself, in front of the main gate.  There is not really a good space to put the Christmas tree, but the park's central icon is a tree.  I would love to see a Holiday segment added to the Tree of Life tree lighting projection show that could serve that function for the park, with an appropriate world music score.

All together, these additions and plussings could make the holiday offerings of the Walt Disney World resort truly a place for a world-class celebration.

As always, thank you for reading.  After the new year, the series will continue with Disney's television offerings.

If I Were Disney CEO Part 9 - Disney Hollywood Studios

The World you have entered was created by The Walt Disney Company and is dedicated to Hollywood - not a place on a map, but a state of mind that exists wherever people dream and wonder and imagine, a place where illusion and reality are fused by technological magic.  We welcome you to a Hollywood that never was - and always will be.

Michael Eisner, May 1, 1989

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Disney Hollywood Studios (or Disney MGM Studios, if you prefer) has always been one of my favorite parks.  Part of it was the age I discovered the park; getting to experience it at 11 and 13, just a little after the park had opened.  Primarily, I think the attachment stemmed from the combination of so many things I loved and was fascinated by: old Hollywood, old movies, movie making, and Disney.

The early Disney Hollywood Studios maintained a focus on movie magic.  A focus on the how.  Imagineer Tony Baxter used to sum up the parks at Walt Disney World  by saying that the Magic Kingdom was "magic made real," EPCOT was "real is magic," and Disney Hollywood Studios was "how the magic is made."  Accordingly, the park had many attractions that pulled back the current and showed you how sound effects were made, how stunts were achieved, or how a green screen works.  There were opportunities to be in the movies.  And there were actual film and television productions that were housed within/adjacent to the park.

The park is shifting its focus now to allow guests to step into the realm of their favorite movies.  To not just be a part of filming a new Star Wars movie, but to be able to step into a living Star Wars community like Batuu.  To become one of Andy's toys, etc.

This presents a clear vision that can still meet the stated goals of the dedication.  It also presents challenges in restructuring the park and removing a lot of the existing but underused production facilities.

Primary Goals:

• Disney Hollywood Studios needs more rides.  The park has always had an imbalance regarding attraction types, leaning heavily on theater based attractions, whether live or screen.  The park as a whole will have only nineteen attractions after Star Wars: Galaxies Edge comes on line next year.  Of that total, nine are rides.  
• Further, Disney Hollywood Studios needs more attractions and rides in particular for the whole family.   The attractions that currently exist skew towards an older demographic. Of the nine rides in the park, only one ride does not have a height restriction (Toy Story Mania!).  That includes the rides in the upcoming Toy Story Playland, both of which have height restrictions (though the Alien Swirling Saucers is fairly low).
• Disney Hollywood Studios needs more walkways to connect and complete a "loop" around the park.  There are currently too many dead ends in the park as it exists.  The Muppet Courtyard, Sunset Boulevard, and the Animation Courtyard all create dead ends that limit traffic flow and increase congestion.  
• The prevalence of screens and live theater attractions should be put to greater use for seasonal and flexible overlays.
• Existing facilities should be adapted for all day use.

With these goals in mind, I’ll walk through each land in the park and discuss the updates.  I'll be walking through the park clockwise from Hollywood Boulevard, heading through Echo Lake first and working around to Sunset Boulevard.  This is generally the approach we take in visiting the park, so it makes the most sense to me to approach it this way in addressing the parks needs and changes.

Hollywood Boulevard:

Hollywood Boulevard is one of the most magical places in Walt Disney World.  A wonderfully representative "Main Street" for Hollywood, particularly now that the view to the Chinese Theater is restored.  I love the architecture.  I love the Citizens of Hollywood.  And while I know a red car trolley was originally planned to go down Hollywood and Sunset, I would not add it.  Let that be a California exclusive.  I love this main strip just as it is.

Generally, I have been leaving Disney's announced plans in place, but I'm making one exception for Disney Hollywood Studios.  The conversion of the Great Movie Ride to Mickey's Runaway Railway bothers me terribly.  The Great Movie ride was a thesis ride for the park and really summed up the idea of the "Hollywood that never existed but always will."  It was a reminder of cinema past and a celebration of the history of film.  The ride should have been updated and it should have been better maintained, but that is not an excuse to replace it.  Further, Mickey needs a ride, but this is the completely wrong location.  I would keep The Great Movie Ride in place, particularly should the 20th Century Fox acquisition finalize.  I would however, rework the ride, so that it focuses on properties that Disney or its Studios own (no more licensing deals).  You could restructure the ride so that it is a journey through genres.  Imagine if you started through musicals this time including a Shirley Temple scene (Curly Top - "Animal Crackers in my soup" perhaps) and a nod to the Sound of Music.  Next then is noir/crime with Call Northside 777 or The French Connection.  I would keep Clint Eastwood in the western scene and update John Wayne's clothing or replace him with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid for the western section.  Alien stays or is replaced by Star Wars (specifically the beginning scenes where Vader boards).  Raiders stays, but the horror end is replace by Young Frankenstein.  Tarzan is replaced by the Planet of the Apes.  Casablanca replaced by The Seven Year Itch (small space for one iconic scene and you do not get much more iconic than the subway grate).  Fantasia stays.  The Wizard of Oz is replaced by Mary Poppins.  Finally, the movie montage at the end gets 20th Century Fox, Pixar, Disney, Lucasfilm, and Marvel properties.  The TCM sponsorship and narration remains, though slightly tweaked now with Ben Mankiewicz narrating.  This sponsorship is key as it should play into other parts of the park and studios as well.  For instance, the memoriam portion of the Academy Awards ceremony should always be farmed out to TCM.  Their TCM Remembers montages are always better put together and more complete.

I would also work on the exterior of the attraction, so that spaces could be created for new handprint ceremonies in front of the theater.

Echo Lake:

Echo Lake as well will largely remain the same.  I love the buildings and the restaurants that surround it.  I would want to add fountains, more lighting effects, and potentially a water cannon (for a cannonball effect) to Echo Lake itself for use in the nightly fireworks/general entertainment.  The ABC Commissary and Sci-Fi Dine in remain the same.

Echo Lake

I would replace the Frozen Sing-Along with an updated Superstar Television.  This section kind of forms a mini-ABC Studios section with the Commissary so I would want some nod to television here.  It is also a great space to have available as a flexible use space for the various festivals and celebrations I would recommend.  The updated Superstar Television could still have classic episodes like the Golden Girls or I Love Lucy, but really should have newer television examples to be green screened into.

Next door, I would replace the Path of the Jedi with an Industrial Light and Magic Special Effects show.  While the focus of the park is generally shifting to living the films, the park is still perfect to have a few "how the magic is made" type of attractions.  Industrial Light and Magic is perfect for this given their attachment to so many of the properties in the park.  A theater attraction where the effects spill out of the screen and into the guests would be amazing.

From there, I head to a new Indiana Jones themed land.

Indiana Jones: The Lost Temple
I would replace the current Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular with the entire Indiana Jones complex from Tokyo Disneysea. This would include the Indiana Jones Adventure ride, the Raging Spirits roller coaster, and the Yucatan Base Camp Grill.

New Indiana Jones Land

This may require a slight push outward into the parking lots, and would replace the Backlot Express restaurant and Jedi Training Academy (though this would move to Galaxies Edge) as well as the Stunt Spectacular.  The current Indiana Jones store next to the 50s Diner would remain given the proximity.  Overall, I think this would be a great step up.

Guardians of the Galaxy Mini-Land:
Star Tours would be replaced by Galaxy Tours, featuring Guardians of the Galaxy.  This would be perfect here just as in Disneyland.  The experience is essentially the same, but with Rocket as your pilot and baby Groot on the dash.  The soundtrack is now an awesome mega-mix and you are visiting Hala, Xandar, Knowwhere, Ego, etc.

The outside would be rethemed to Xandar, as a Galactic Travel Depot, with the nearby Tatooine Traders renovated to be the Collector's Outpost.

Further, I would love to see a little tie in with the Sci-Fi Dine-In by showing little Guardians Clips in a classic B-Movie style.

Grand Avenue/Muppet Courtyard:
Grand Avenue has gone through a great renovation from the previous Streets of America.  Cynically, it is recognizable that this is an expansion of the holding pen for Galaxies Edge, but it truly has opened this space up in a way that is wonderful.  And the tie to the Muppets has been fun.

I would add Muppets to the second and third floor windows on the Grand Avenue side for a "The Muppets Present...Great Moments in American History" like experience.  Generic citizens of Grand Avenue fun conversations.

Updated Muppet Courtyard

Across the way in the Grand Avenue Park/Muppet Courtyard, I would make a few tweaks.  PizzaRizzo is a great addition, that could stand to be plussed just a little more in the Muppet zany direction.  The Grand Avenue Theater should really be renamed to the Muppet Theater for MuppetVision*3D.  For MuppetVision*3D, I would shoot three additional films, all in a Cinemagique style journey through the movies with the Muppets.  First a summer blockbuster spoof with the Muppets (Muppet versions of Star Wars, Marvel, Lord of the Rings, etc.).  Then a Monster Movie spoof set with the Muppets for Halloween.  Then a Muppet Christmas Carol version for Christmas.  That way, the show can be rotated between the four versions throughout the year.

The Muppet Central Store in the center of the courtyard would be torn down.  Likewise, Mama Melrose's would be torn down so that expansion could occur towards the back.  Mama Melrose's would be reopened as the Swedish Chef's in a new configuration pushing out toward the parking lot.  The restaurant would have television screens that would allow you to see the Swedish Chef in the kitchen making your dish.

The store would be relocated to the back corner of the Muppet Theater.  The store would be smaller to include only Muppet merchandise and a What-Not Creation shop.

In the new open space, I would add a Whatnot Roundabout carousel populated by odd looking Muppet characters.

Toward the back, I would add the Great Muppet Ride.  There was an old proposal to have a Great Muppet Movie Ride, a parody of the Great Movie Ride with the Muppets spoofing all of the classic films.  I would go in a different direction with essentially a Great Muppet Ride Ride.  In my way of thinking, a guest would enter a ride that looks to be completely a Muppet Treasure Island Ride.  At some point in the opening scene, Crazy Harry would light a cannon and blow up a wall, sending you off course in the ride.  As you bust through the wall, you essentially break into the "ride" next door.  Great Moments with Sam the Eagle, The Enchanted Chicken Coop, Pigs In Space Mountain, The Fozzie Bear Jamboree, Mr. Frog's Wild Ride, etc.  It would be loaded with sight gags and nods to Disney attractions and Muppets that would keep guests coming back to catch them all.

Star Wars: Galaxies Edge:
Like Disneyland, I have the same issues with this space, and they are exacerbated by the choices in the Starcruiser hotel that is connected to this area.

Disney tried something new with Galaxy's Edge and tried to swing for the fences, but seems to have only hit a solid double, not the home run they intended.  The land is incredibly impressive in its scope and design, crafting this massive amount of rock work and technical design.  Just walking upon the Millennium Falcon is a moment in and of itself.  And Rise of the Resistance is one of the most impressive rides ever built, when it works.  

The troubles with the land are two fold - the lack of life in the land and the stubborn adherence to the single point timeline, holding everything in between films 8 and 9.  Addressing the first point, the land as it exists feels soulless.   There was a decision made to make this feel like everyone is experiencing their own Star Wars adventure, as if they were living in the movie.  But this was translated by removing movie-like aspects, such as a score.  As such, the land doesn't have background music, just natural diegetic sound.  It's a misunderstanding of what people want.  They want to feel like they are a part of the movie, all of the movie, not just living in the world the movie creates.  They want the John Williams score, they want the romance of adventure.  It's all part and parcel of the experience. 

In addition to the lack of music, the lack of droids and aliens makes the land feel empty.  The concept art of Galaxy's Edge showed a land filled with free roaming droids and aliens, as you would expect in a busy Star Wars space port.  A land brimming with entertainment if you will.  Unfortunately, these were all cut in the land as part of budget restrictions prior to opening.  To make matters worse, we saw them be added to the Star Wars hotel instead, putting them behind a several thousand dollar pay wall.  

Finally, the land suffers by being locked into a particular point and time in the Star Wars universe.  To further the "reality" of the experience, Imagineers decided all rides and experiences in Galaxy's Edge take place between The Last Jedi and the Rise of Skywalker.  This means the only characters you can meet have to exist between those two movies.  So no Darth Vader, no Darth Maul, no Luke, no Leia, no Han, etc.  It's a decision that can sound good on paper, locking this into a true live-action roleplay experience - but practically, it again misses the mark of what people want.  People want a Star Wars land where they can have their experiences with their favorite stories and characters. Why have a Millennium Falcon ride, if Han is not a part of it?  If Darth Vader is one of the top villains of all time, why is there not a way to meet him in a Star Wars land?  

Accordingly, there are a few changes that need to take place to make Galaxy's Edge placed for the future.  First, there has to be a loosening of the live-action roleplay aspect.  Let's add in the John Williams background music.  Let's add in lighting that may not be 100% realistic, but really sells the land.  Let's look at this back as a theme-park land, in addition to a film set experience.  

Second, free the timeline.  There are a couple of ways to do this, but I lean into creating pockets of space for each of the Star Wars eras.  If we are going clockwise, as we have gone around the park, this would make the eras occur in reverse.  As you enter from Muppets, you would first encounter the sequel era trilogy, with the land around Rise of the Resistance.  This would be the area for BB8, Rey, and Kylo Ren, as well as the First Order Troopers.  The market would be set in the gap era.  This becomes the place for Din Djarin, Grogu, Ahsoka, Moff Gideon, Boba Fett, Fennec Shand, etc.  The area around Millennium Falcon is original trilogy.  So Luke, Leia, Han, Chewi, R2D2, stormtroopers and Vader, as well as the Rebels crew.  And with a slight reworking of Smugglers Run, we add to it Han and Jaba, etc.   Finally, the area around First Order Cargo and the milk stand to the prequel trilogy.  Darth Maul, stormtroopers, Qui Gon, Obi Wan, Anakin, Padme, etc.  This gives every era space and gives guidance for expansion.  Plus, it helps alleviate the need for Star Tours as the full Star Wars representative, allowing it to be repurposed.

The final need for the land is to expand and add things that should have been there in the first place.  Bring in the free roaming droids, and aliens and other "citizens" with stunt shows on the roofs to make the land feel alive.  Add a Jedi Temple area with the Jedi Training that used to take place near Star Tours to the prequel area space.  Add in the planned supper club table service restaurant with the Twi'lek singer.  And add in the third ride, the Bantha ride.  I know this would be very low capacity and would crowd the paths, but it would add to the life of the land and would be a great all ages option for the land.   

The implementation here also has room for another ride, given the additional space created in this park.  There's room for a small flat ride in the space near the retaining wall at the bottom of the land.  I can envision something like a droid demolition derby.

With these factors addressed, Galaxy's Edge becomes its fully-realized self and a great complement to the rest of the park.

Toy Story Playland:
I like the addition of Toy Story Playland, but feel it is being woefully underbuilt in a park that is desperate for capacity.  The new addition is bringing Woody's Lunch Box counter service window with outdoor seating, Alien Swirling Saucers whip-ride, and Slinky Dog Dash family coaster.  And they have finally added a sit down restaurant, Woody's Round-Up BBQ, which blocks future expansion and misses what restaurant we want from Toy Story in the first place.  It also absorbed the existing Toy Story Mania Ride with a new entrance in the new land side.

First for the planned addition, I would make one change.  I would push the Woody's Lunch Box counter closer to the Toy Story Mania building, so that it frees up a larger portion of the land for another flat ride.  In it's place, I would add a "Snake in My Boot" caterpillar style attraction (like the previous Slinky Zig Zag ride), themed to a wooden snake toy.

Toy Story Playland and Burton Addition

The land also requires additional attractions.  To do so, I would push further beyond the Slinky Dog Dash toward the Animation Courtyard, eliminating the need for the "wooden fence" on the parking garage.  In the additional Toy Story land space, the goal is to expand the attraction base.

I would add the Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop from the other Toy Story lands, but would lower it to the Jumpin' Jellyfish Height.  This would be centered in the expansion.

Further, I would add the Poultry Palace "kids meal" box style Turkey Leg Stand on the side near the Walt Disney Presents building.  Likewise, I would place an appropriate box toy style vending cart.

On the outer edge, I would add a Toy Box Revue Theater for a Country Bear-esque animatronic show.  Here with a windup band, Wheezy, Tin Toy, etc.

Further, I would add a Pizza Planet full service restaurant themed to a Pizza Planet playset.  Should be almost exactly like Pizza Planet in the movies.  This would be a perfect place for Toy Story character dining opportunities.

This will expansion will take the longest as this is all in space currently inhabited by production and backstage facilities, many of which will need to be relocate offsite and then bulldozed to start the expansion.

Expanded Playland and Toon Avenue

Just like the changes to the Animation Courtyard.

Animation Courtyard/Toon Avenue:
The Animation Courtyard is key to park expansion as it represents the connection point between Toy Story Playland and Sunset Boulevard.  It completes the circle.  Accordingly, the Animation Courtyard will be undergoing a transformation into Toon Avenue.

Toon Avenue will focus on the traditional "fab five" related Disney cartoon characters and properties adjacent to them (like Ducktales, Darkwing Duck, etc.).  This is where the Mickey's Runaway Railway attraction should be added.

The Disney Jr. attraction will be replaced by the CafeToonia.  This space used to be the Soundstage Restaurant, as it shares facilities with the Brown Derby and the former Catwalk Bar.  The Catwalk Bar is being converted into Disney Hollywood Studios' Club 33 location.  Accordingly, I'd like to bring this space back to a restaurant.  This could be the "fab five" character dining location.  An All-American cafeteria interpreted through a Toon Town architecture style.

On past that on the right would be a section for a shop, followed by a Dumbo-esque spinner themed rotating airplanes, called Launchpad's Crash Course.  It's important that this corner be open to expand sightlines from the animation courtyard around into the market space off Sunset.  It helps serve as a visual weenie in the space.

Likewise, the spot directly across from it will get a Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters lps-style attraction themed to Benny the Cab, with guests doing the Toontown Taxi Tango.  Again, the goal for this attraction is to have something open air, that allows views into the adjacent Toy Story Playland, drawing people to each land.

From there, additional shops and meet and greet spaces for the classic Disney Characters.

The back of the land contains Mickey's Runaway Railway in the Toontown Theater.  This will be sufficiently large enough to help hide most of the Rock n' Roller Coaster, with the gravity room portion getting painted go-away blue at the top (or just painted like a Toon Sky Scraper).

Burton Boulevard:
I would also like to reclaim the current Pixar Place space from becoming backstage.  This location creates a valuable walkway and would also correspond to the third Galaxies Edge entrance at Disneyland, which could be a valuable addition to the Disney Hollywood Studios version.

In this space, I would love to pay homage to another Disney collaborator that does not always fit into other Disney themed lands: Tim Burton.

Starting down this path, I would leave the Walt Disney Presents space largely as it is, though it would become the designated film promotional theater.  With EPCOT getting many of the theme park based exhibits and the One Man's Dream film, this space would house the film exhibits and would contain the rotating film promotions.  A movie based park should have a space dedicated to history and promotion of the upcoming film.  Likewise, space could be used for the promotional meet and greets - the characters in the film that is being shown in the theater space.  A great flex space for festivals as well.

Reemphasized for Burton Boulevard (the black line)

To get an attraction space, the third track of Toy Story Mania would have to go down once all of the other additional family rides have been built.  This should decrease the demand for Toy Story Mania, allowing this separate third track to be reconfigured.  In this space, I would build a Nightmare Before Christmas darkride.  The old painted flats, blacklight approach seems perfect for this property.

Along the other side of the corridor, there is space for a Sparky's Franken-Weenies hot dog stand, merchandise vending in the current area and meet and greet space, as well as a Jack and Sally (and perhaps Oogie Boogie) meet and greet location to be created at the end of the street in the expansion area.

If a ride could be built for Edward Scissorhands (20th Century Fox film) in the expansion, that would be a great use (as I think Galaxies Edge will be sufficient until a completely new Star Wars land can be built in another location).

The rest of the corridor would be dressed appropriately for a Burton film, with the architecture darkened.  Movie posters for Frankenweenie, James and the Giant Peach, Alice and Dumbo repainted to look more like B-movies would be perfect for the area.

Sunset Boulevard:
Sunset Boulevard would remain largely the same.  It houses two of the most popular attractions and well designed merchandise and dining options.  My focuses in the area are to better utilize the Theater of the Stars space and to rework Fantasmic to allow for a daytime use.

Sunset Expansion

The Theater of the Stars would be pushed back from Sunset and enclosed to represent much more of a Broadway-style theater.  Since the Hyperion is taken in California, I would name this the Buena Vista Theater.  The new theater would house a new production like the Golden Mickey's or Mickey and the Magician.

This new side street leading up to the theater would also be able to house a couple of different attractions. One would be a copy of Roger Rabbit's Toon Town Spin.  A copy of the attraction from Disneyland and Tokyo, which would serve an important purpose for time and place setting on Sunset.

The attraction on the other side would be the Toontown Trolley simulator ride, this time with Oswald the Lucky Rabbit at the controls.  I would even call this attraction Oswald's Trolley Troubles.

Fantasmic! would receive an overhaul both in terms of the attraction space and in terms of the show and storyline.  To anyone who has seen both Disneyland's Fantasmic! and Disney Hollywood Studios' Fantasmic!, Disneyland's is far superior.  It seems to magically come into existence, has two full size boats used in the show, and a lot of additional effects.  With Fantasmic in Disney Hollywood Studios, you know you are entering a theater essentially and know that a show will begin.  The pieces that follow do not necessarily fit together.

The goal would be to make the space more purpose built.  The mountain would go away, as there is no need to maintain the illusion that you are somewhere else.  I would replace it with a Hollywood Bowl stage that could be filled with props as needed and where Mickey could appear on a platform on top of the Bowl, just as he does with the mountain. The bowl like stage would also help this space be used for other shows.

The show would be reworked into a Hollywood Fantasmic! show.  Dreams of stardom and Hollywood lights.  It would incorporate things from Disney live action productions as well as animation, including the Nautilus battle with a giant squid.  I would build a full Black Pearl for a pirates segment and a full true steamboat closer to the one in Steamboat Willie for the finale.  New segments could be added and the lighting, sound, projection, and fountain equipment would all be updated.

The seated space would get canopies to help allow this space to be used in the daytime, potentially for concerts, for live productions, etc.  It could even be a daytime show with the fountains.  The space is too large and valuable not to be greater utilized.

Further, changing to the Bowl like space would allow for nights where Fantasmic is not shown, but the stage is used for The Music of Pixar Live show that the studios housed last year, having an orchestra play Pixar music with accompanying movie clips. This would be a big benefit to the festival atmosphere I hope to create.

The Tower of Terror would remain the same, but would get the Tip Top Club added to the space at the exit.  A small bar with themed concoctions.

The Sunset Showcase would be put into use as a more permanent Diamond Horseshoe-like dinner theater, with entertainment coming from the latest acts of the nearby G Force Records.  It would still be adaptable as a flex space for the various festivals and celebrations, in addition to the Disney YES and music groups.

Seasonal Overlays:
Disney Hollywood Studios has the greatest potential for overlays given the proliferation of screen based attractions and live theater/stage shows, both of which are easier to change out.  For the seasons, the park should get significant Halloween and Christmas offerings, ramped up from the current status.

For Halloween, the park should offer a slightly more spooky offering than the Magic Kingdom "Not So Scary" celebration.   With the addition of the Nightmare Before Christmas ride, Jack Skellington should be the guide for the time of year, with a focus on monster movies and villains.  The giant monster Muppets could be set loose.  The Dark Side takes control of Galaxies Edge.  Monsters Inc. set up a film studio to capture screams/laughs.  Etc.  A new spooky/monster movie fireworks show would be added to the Chinese Theater area, focusing on things like Monsters Inc., Monsters University, Nightmare Before Christmas, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Watcher in the Woods, The Adventures of Ichabod Crane, The Lonesome Ghosts, Frankenweenie, etc.  It could be titled Disney's Halloween Treat (after the television special).  Toy Story Mania would get new animation for Halloween, and MuppetVision*3D would get a monster movie spoof film.  The studio should also be working now on Halloween animation for Mickey's Runaway Railway.  Tower of Terror would get the Late Check Out pitch black ride experience during Halloween.   Further, I would explore changing out Rock 'n Roller Coaster to be a Shock n Roller Coaster featuring KISS experience for Halloween.

For Christmas, the current offerings would be  beefed up.  Jingle Bell, Jingle Bam is a fun projection and fireworks show and the idea of the Prep & Landing Crew running the parks Christmas celebrations is a good one.  The Sunset Seasons atmospheric show was a great addition last year, as was moving more of the decorations into the park around the Echo Lake area.  I would continue this with a MuppetVision*3D Muppet Christmas Carol film and a walk-around Spirit of Christmas Present character.  Galaxies Edge can celebrate Life Day.  The toys in Toy Story Playland can celebrate new additions of Christmas presents and Toy Story Mania would get new animation for Christmas.  As above, the studio should be working on animation now for a Christmas Mickey's Runaway Railway.  Rock 'n Roller Coaster would become the Jingle Bell Rock 'n Roller Coaster with a storyline needing to get the gifts to Santa as quickly as possible with Run, Run Rudolph and the Jingle Bell Rock as example songs.

I would further add several celebrations throughout the year giving the park a festival like atmosphere.  Particularly a film festival atmosphere.  As outlined in Why Disney Hollywood Studios Should Adopt A Festival Model Like EPCOT, I would envision the following celebrations

• Muppet Mania in January/early February
• TCM Classic around Oscar season
• Star Wars Weekends in late March through the end of May
• Pixar Fest from June through August

Each with their own specific offerings including fireworks and parades.

The park should also throw a big Oscar party.  In addition to the picture opportunity with an Oscar statue, I would roll out the red carpet literally down Hollywood Boulevard, making each night like a premier.  There would be an "And the Oscar Goes To..." fireworks show focusing on the winners of the Disney Studios.  This would be the perfect time to partner for the TCM celebration to have a handprint ceremony for classic actors and to focus on the classic films in the Disney and 20th Century Fox libraries.

Parades and Nighttime Spectaculars:
With the focus on festivals and seasons, they become the driving force for parades and nighttime spectaculars.  The constant would be the updated Hollywood Fantasmic! as a default offering throughout the year.  The rest would be updated for the particular celebration.

The fireworks would be centralized around Chinese Theater, but would be upgraded so that the experience is creating a giant outdoor 4D theater experience, pulling in the best tricks from Disneyland and the other fireworks experiences.  The theater already uses projection mapping and fire in addition to the fireworks behind it (and off to the right).  I would add inflatables on the roofs of the Hollywood Boulevard shops, bubbles, snow, water, wind (fans), confetti cannons, searchlights, and fountains/water cannons in Echo Lake itself to create a more immersive experience for each of the shows.

I would further add another fireworks launch location to balance the fireworks to the left and right of the theater.  Currently, they are offset to the right and cannot be centralized due to the fallout location over Galaxies Edge.  I would at least balance them with another launch location to the left.

Park Overview

This would put the additional fireworks launch site on the other side of the Star Wars Boutique Hotel.  This will be fine, as the hotel will not have windows, but will be focused on the internal experience.

Further, these expansions will require a reworking of the parking lot.  Ideally, part of the parking lot would be converted to a parking garage to absorb larger crowds and put the greater number of guests near the entrance.

For the parades and fireworks celebrations, I would create the following schedule:

• During Muppet Mania - the Magnificent Muppet All-Star Motorcade and Muppets in the Sky
• During TCM Classic Film Fest - bring back a Stars and Motorcars Parade and the And the Oscar Goes to fireworks show
• During Star Wars Weekends - the March of the First Order and the Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular fireworks show
• During Pixar Fest - Pixar Play Parade and Together Forever
• During Halloween - Disney's Halloween Treat
• During Christmas - Jingle Bell, Jingle Bam

Cartoon Mascot:
For Disney Hollywood Studios, I would choose Roger Rabbit.  Roger's story is set in the golden age of Hollywood and his film came out around the opening of the park. The park initially had a ton of references to Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and the park could be stronger for restoring those ties (like the Valiant and Valiant window with the Roger Rabbit cutout in the blinds above Hollywood and Dine).

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As always, thanks for sticking through this with me.  Next up in the series is Disney's Animal Kingdom, perhaps the strongest theme park in North America.

Why Disney Hollywood Studios Should Adopt a Festival Model like EPCOT

Like Why moving it's a small world to EPCOT benefits both EPCOT and the Magic Kingdom, the  following is reprinting from a letter drafted to the Walt Disney Company arguing Disney Hollywood Studios should adopt a festival park model like EPCOT has used..  I'm sending it to Bob Iger, Bob Chapek, and the president of the Disney Hollywood Studios.  As before, hopefully it will be read.

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Disney Hollywood Studios has always been one of my favorite theme parks.  It combines my love of movies, old Hollywood, and Disney to great affect.  Further, the original mission of the park to show how movie magic was achieved fascinated my young mind. 

As the park is changing from a focus on real movie magic and movie making to stepping into the worlds presented in the movies, it seems the park is struggling to best utilize the park layout and facilities that remain.  In thinking through the various ways people interact with film, I thought to film festivals and the celebrations of all that films encompass that they represent.

I believe this struggle of the park can be solve by adding a festival atmosphere and focus to Disney Hollywood Studios similar to the way EPCOT uses the Festival of the Arts, Flower and Garden, Food and Wine, and Festival of the Holidays to flesh out the park offerings.  I believe this will work for three primary reasons:

1. The park already has plenty of screen based and semi-flexible spaces that can be utilized in the festivals for specific and varying offerings.
2. Disney already has key strategic partnerships and acquisitions that could be leveraged to great affect for the festivals.
3. Disney Hollywood Studios, in particular, has already offered a very successful festival-like offering in its past.

Beyond film festivals, one of the ways that I arrived at this conclusion was thinking about the Pixar Fest offering that is occurring at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.  Once Toy Story Playland is online, Pixar Fest would be the perfect offering for Disney Hollywood Studios.  A projection heavy fireworks show that could be transferred to the park well in Together Forever.  Several exclusive food and shopping options that would be a draw into the park.  Plenty of Pixar shorts that could be shown in one theater, with an almost yearly movie offering that could be shown in the preview space.  Rare characters that could be brought out for meet and greets.  And opportunities for voice talent and animators to come down for special offerings during the festival.  Like Star Wars Weekends, I think Pixar Fest could be a significant draw.

This type of offering works due to the flexible nature of the park.  More than any other park, Disney Hollywood Studios is set up for seasonal and temporary offerings.  Screen based and theater attractions are the most easily converted attractions for seasonal overlays and temporary uses of the space. For example, it is a lot easier to add a Halloween or Star Wars/Pixar film to the Sounds Dangerous space than it is to achieve something like Haunted Mansion Holiday.  It requires significantly less upfront development and it can be converted much more quickly.  It essentially requires a new film, with then minor adjustments to the in theater effects.

Further, the number of studios that Disney has under its umbrella ensure variety in the festival offerings and the strategic partners and sponsorships that Disney has already cultivated can be greatly beneficial to those efforts.  Beyond Star Wars Weekends and Pixar Fest, I can easily envision a Muppet and classic film offering.  It is a shame that it could not be a Marvel offering, but that can be potentially be worked around by a Summer of Heroes focused on Guardians of the Galaxy, Big Hero Six, and the Incredibles.  Additionally, thanks to the continued relationship with TCM through things like the previous Great Movie Ride sponsorship and TCM cruise, and the continued Disney Vault offerings, I could even see a TCM Film Festival or mini-Film Festival East.  The one in Hollywood in the spring has grown tremendously successful.  Imagine reworking the handprints in front of the Grauman's Chinese Theater replica, so that a Disney Hollywood Studios TCM Classic Film event could incorporate a new handprint ceremony.  

From a purely commercial aspect, each of these festivals also offer an opportunity for upcharge offerings, whether that be exclusive merchandise, food, or events.  While they should not reach the point where they become crassly apparent, the uniqueness of the festival offers greater planning for truly special and worthy experiences.

With that in mind, I would propose the following schedule of festivities:

Muppet Mania

• around the early part of the year, like Festival of the Arts
• January-February
• similar to old Muppets take over Disneyland plans
• Muppet parade - Magnificent Muppet All-Star Motorcade
• Muppet themed fireworks - Muppets in the Stars
• Muppet meet and greets
• Muppet performers in park

TCM Classic Film Festival

• Partnership with TCM
• Particularly to highlight classic Disney and Fox films
• A time to really roll out the red carpet
• Sometime from end of February to beginning of March
• Would contain Oscar weekend?
• Single weekend?
• Handprint ceremonies, new Walk of Fame stars?
• Disney Movie Magic-like fireworks
• Complete films shown with Celebrity introductions

Star Wars Weekends

• around end of March to May, like Flower and Garden
• Specifically designed to include big May the Fourth celebration
• March of the First Order/Empire
• Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular fireworks
• unique meet and greets
• Star Wars actors, voice actors, creatives in park
• Darth Mall, etc. back
• Attraction overlays? - Rock n Roller Coaster with John Williams Score? MuppetVision Star Wars Spoof?

Pixar Fest

• End of May through August
• Music of Pixar orchestra offering at night
• Pixar Play Parade or similar brought over
• Together Forever Fireworks
• Pixar only Fantasmic?
• rare character meet and greets
• Voice actors and animators in park
• Special Toy Story Mania games?

Halloween

• September through end of October

Christmas

• November through end of year

Conclusion:

I believe this approach creates fills out Disney Hollywood Studios as a compelling park to make it something that is desirable to visit at multiple points throughout the year.  This approach also stays true to the parks vision of celebrating the movies in a new and exciting dimension.

Thank you for your time and consideration.