Hollywood Studios

It's going to be at least the end of the summer before we see anything close for Star Wars in DHS. Lights Motors Action might be on a shorter timeframe, depending on how soon Disney chooses to commit to and announce the Toy Story Playland idea, and if that requires encroaching that space.

Wouldn't it be better to convert the Streets of America into Star Wars Land with nothing but facades occupying that area and keep/update the Indy Stunt Show? Keep the Muppets and Indy and replace the Streets. Also tear down the Backlot Express next to the Indy Stunt Show and build Indy Forbidden Temple to make an Indy Land...and cast a new actor to play Indy and make a few prequels to get the movie money train moving.

And tear down the Animation Courtyard and recreate the Disney Hyperion Studio in its place with a Mickey Mouse dark ride inside. Also replace the Fantasmic amphitheater with a Hollywood Resort deluxe hotel and have a combo fireworks display with the projection technology added in front of the Chinese Theater to replace Fantasmic. There is plenty of room in front of the Chinese Theater without the BAH blocking the openness.

I also have wondered if they will get rid of the Backlot Express Quick Service area, and really want them to take out the Honey I Shrunk the Kids play area.

Robert when you say Toy Story playland, are you referring to a literal play land or a themed land?

And finally has anyone wondered what may happen to Mouse 1 with the Backlot closed?

Bradley,

I'm talking about a duplicate of the themed land at Hong Kong Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios Paris. I wrote about it in my WDS trip report.

Thanks Robert.

They need to fill in Echo Lake. Much space is wasted in the park. The whole layout makes it hard to find attractions. The park seems much smaller than it actually is and it is the smallest park at Disney World.

I was lucky enough to spend last week at the WDW Resort and despite all the construction and lack of attractions at DHS, what stuck out to me the most was how absolutely dated the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular felt. I was a huge Indy fan as a child in the 80s and this show has been a mandatory part of every one of my visits to DHS for about 25 years now. Some of my favorite WDW memories growing up involve this show.

On this trip however, I finally realized how out of place and out of touch this attraction is now. The jokes were tired, several of the major stunts (i.e. the boulder) were left out likely due to malfunctioning equipment, and at one point my wife leaned over to me and said she "still doesn't understand why they are meant to be filming stunt scenes for a movie released well over 30 years ago." Not only did this make me laugh, but prompted an entire conversation about what a strange job the Cast Members who act as a director, sound technician or cameraman have. The moment when the director and Indy double, who is likely about 40 years younger than Harrison Ford, joke about how the double looks exactly Harrison Ford and the only difference between them is "about 20 million dollars" took the cake.

I thank the Indy Stunt Spectacular for some amazing memories over the years but think, before anything else in DHS, sorely needs to be put out to pasture.

I agree with Will about much of the Indy Stunt Show. I think the stunt show format of Indiana Jones at DHS should be "retired", but I don't want Indy to just go away forever. I would love an updated attraction featuring our favorite finder of rare antiquities at Hollywood Studios. It could be similar to what's already done at other Disney parks or an entirely new concept. I know it doesn't look as if there is another Indiana Jones movie coming anytime soon, but Disney has a great opprotunity to breathe some fresh air into a classic franchise.

I am not one to give up on the Indy stunt show quite yet. All other stunt shows have come and gone, but this one still seems to pack the theater.

In the 25 years I have been going to DHS, never was the boulder effect turned off.Something must have happened!

Then again, I wouldn't mind a refreshed show.

The half-ton boulder that takes a team of 5 strong guys to roll? You mean THAT one is out of commission?

I have seen the show maybe 4 times and it was always working, so I can't even imagine the show without it. That's like the airplane not being in the show. If the boulder isn't working anymore, then perhaps Disney is giving up on the show, figuring they'd run it until it fell apart.

I don't like the idea of filling in Echo Lake. It's not really that large, and I don't see anything worthwhile going into that footprint, but a small lake is a treasure inside a park. That's not so different than suggesting they fill in most of World Showcase Lagoon so they can add Brazil, Russia, South Africa, Egypt, etc etc. Water features are great within a park, in my opinion.

I do believe shutting down Indiana Jones would be a great idea, as it is a rather large area that could easily support something pretty interesting, whether it becomes part of Star Wars land or something else completely. DHS is in dire need of a quality update, and that Stunt Spectacular would be permanently closed, if I had my way.

For those wondering about the boulder, what happened was that after the usual opening moments Indy grabbed the idol, the lights flickered, the weird rumbling sounds started, and then the director simply yelled "Cut! We'll come back and get the boulder shot later." The show just continued from there. The trap door stunt where it is meant to look like the mechanic is sliced apart by the airplane propeller also was not included. Indy simply knocked out the mechanic some distance away from the plane instead and continued with the normal finale from there. Disappointing to say the least.

I looked at the sky view of Echo Lake area that is rumored to be the Star Wars land and it is not that big, maybe 1.5 acres. The Diagon Alley area is about 4 to 5 acres. If only Echo Lake is the site of SW-land, then it is too small. If you add in the Indy stunt show area and the Backlot Express area, it will get to the 5 acre size which seems to be needed.

I wonder if the Indy stunt show could be relocated to the Lights Motors Action arena? This could solve 2 problems at once, keep a popular show and get enough land for SW-land.

Why would Disney switch out one attraction for another attraction in DHS (with only seven attractions to start with) when they can build one or more attractions where there are none currently (like the Streets of America)? From 7 attractions to 7, or from 7 attractions to 8 or 9? Please give me more to do in DHS! Add more attractions and stop taking others away.

Ok so after reading a lot of Rumors here is my wish list for DHS...

Expanded StarWars Land would include: Echo Lake, ABC Sound Studio, America Idol Experience Building, Indiana Jones Stunt Show and Backlot Express.

Pixar Area would then be able to reach from Pixar Place over to Pizza Planet. This would mean taking out the already axed Backlot tour (just the queue and the prop house keep reading), Backlot eating area, Honey I Shrunk the Kids play area, Streets of America and Muppets. Then Pizza Planet and Mama Melroses (possibly re-imagined to Remy's) would be connected to Midway Mania.

That would be enough room for Toy Story Play land and Monster or Cars (Radiator Springs Racers) attractions.

Now here is something unprecedented...Take Lights Motors Action and the actual Tram section of the Back Lot tour...AND Create a new Revenge of the Mummy style Indiana Jones indoor/outdoor coaster to go along with the future Indiana Jones movie Disney is sure to release with a Chris Pratt, Bradley Cooper type actor.

This would not only give the fans what they want in Star Wars and Pixar Attractions but also set Dinsey on a nice timeline for growth.

Star Wars Land and Pixar could slowly be built together for a 2016/2017 open and then in the few years it will be for the next Indiana Movie to come out Disney could plan out this new Adventure section of the rear of the park for the coaster and a few other smaller attractions or shows for an opening closer to 2018/2020.

Sounds great, but I would miss the Muppets.