News Round Up 2017

[Travis B]

I was the kid Ng the exact same thing - why not do like a Jaba creature or something else you can't do with a person in a costume?

One thing I did think is that if they will be outside it's got to be super hot in the costume especially in the summer and a ton of breaks would be required - animatronics don't need breaks

I agree that there's many other, arguably better uses of a full AA figure, a Jabba or any other number of things. Free-standing AA figures still seem to need support or training wheels - like the dinosaur with the cart - so it stands to reason that any full figure would be something along those lines, if they even have them. For the cost of making and maintaining an AA Wookie capable of independently walking around on 2 legs they could keep $10/hr fur characters on tap all day long indefinitely, and with better effect.

 

[jaxonp]

This is fantastic. Just was WDSP needed. Now they just need to get a DCA makeover budget approved and it'll be good. It already has 4 headliner attractions. A cars land or star wars land with some much improved theming and pacing around the park could make it a great park quickly.

 

[jaxonp]

It was a rumor but haven't heard anything since.

Yea I don't think DL will be closing Star Wars land early, ever.

 

[PaintsWithAllTheColors]

Is it too cold or just storming? I suspect Southern California doesn't handle storms, especially with lots of rain and thunder, well. They tend to flash flood easily, get mudslides (at least LA and between LA & San Diego), and have wildfires from lightning strikes. I don't know about flooding in Orlando from normal rain.

There was flooding through Frontierland, basically a river going towards the end of main street, and the Royal Hall was leaking. This caused some of the princess meet and greets to be cancelled, sending some Cast Members home early. Only 8,000 guests in attendance today at Disneyland! I'm Southern California born and raised, and this is some of the most intense weather I've ever seen in this area. My parents' home (10 minutes from Disneyland) lost power and it won't be back up until tomorrow at the earliest.

 

[SureAsLiz]

Amazing thing to ponder. Disneyland is closing early tonight due to inclement weather. Walt Disney World all still open as usual with major storms rolling through and a tornado watch. Wishes is going off right now in high winds.

There was a sign up in Fantasyland that the area may be closed during Wishes due to wind (I didn't think to grab a photo)

While the rain was pretty bad 730ish in the Disney Springs area, it was non-existent shortly after in my area (6 miles south of MK). I have watched Wishes in much worse conditions. The worst of the storm was north of LBV.

The fireworks during MRFF were being blown around during the day. Even though the worst of the storm didn't come through until evening, the winds were pretty intense all day.

All this to say, I never felt yesterday that the weather was bad enough in the immediate area to impact overall operations any more than a normal storm would have.

 

[rteetz]

There was a sign up in Fantasyland that the area may be closed during Wishes due to wind (I didn't think to grab a photo)

While the rain was pretty bad 730ish in the Disney Springs area, it was non-existent shortly after in my area (6 miles south of MK). I have watched Wishes in much worse conditions. The worst of the storm was north of LBV.

The fireworks during MRFF were being blown around during the day. Even though the worst of the storm didn't come through until evening, the winds were pretty intense all day.

All this to say, I never felt yesterday that the weather was bad enough in the immediate area to impact overall operations any more than a normal storm would have.

Thanks, I of course wasn't in the area and could only go off what I was seeing on Twitter which is what made me question it.

 

[Spacedog1975]

I agree that there's many other, arguably better uses of a full AA figure, a Jabba or any other number of things. Free-standing AA figures still seem to need support or training wheels - like the dinosaur with the cart - so it stands to reason that any full figure would be something along those lines, if they even have them. For the cost of making and maintaining an AA Wookie capable of independently walking around on 2 legs they could keep $10/hr fur characters on tap all day long indefinitely, and with better effect.

With today's tech, they could very easily have a human in a Wookie suit with an articulating electronic mask.

 

[skier_pete]

Rumor

I know it's been rumored that Disney is working on special interactions for SWL but I had a source tell me that Disney is working on ananimatronic Wookie that will walk around SWL.

Sorry, it's sort of been discussed - but this makes no sense at all. A costume character is a million times cheaper than a walking AA. Walking AAs still cost tens of millions of dollars. A costume character is $10 / hour. As other said, maybe a more articulated face or something, but no way, no way they are going to have a roving wookie.

You tell me a walking C-3PO then maybe I believe it.

 

[mikepizzo]

Sorry, it's sort of been discussed - but this makes no sense at all. A costume character is a million times cheaper than a walking AA. Walking AAs still cost tens of millions of dollars. A costume character is $10 / hour. As other said, maybe a more articulated face or something, but no way, no way they are going to have a roving wookie.

You tell me a walking C-3PO then maybe I believe it.

Is the technology even there to make it worth it? Live up to expectations? I'm thinking this is going to be more like what PUSH was. It would be cool to have R2D2 and BB8 rolling around the parks, with a CM controlling them from a distance.

 

[rteetz]

Sorry, it's sort of been discussed - but this makes no sense at all. A costume character is a million times cheaper than a walking AA. Walking AAs still cost tens of millions of dollars. A costume character is $10 / hour. As other said, maybe a more articulated face or something, but no way, no way they are going to have a roving wookie.

You tell me a walking C-3PO then maybe I believe it.

Is the technology even there to make it worth it? Live up to expectations? I'm thinking this is going to be more like what PUSH was. It would be cool to have R2D2 and BB8 rolling around the parks, with a CM controlling them from a distance.

Again it's a rumor. It very well could just be an articulated face. The technology has vastly improved in recent years for animatronics. Just look at what has been seen so far from the Navi animatronic.

 

[mikepizzo]

Again it's a rumor. It very well could just be an articulated face. The technology has vastly improved in recent years for animatronics. Just look at what has been seen so far from the Navi animatronic.

I get that, but we're talking about something totally different than the Navi anamatronic. I haven't heard that she walks around. Having an incredibly articulated face is one thing...I'm talking more about the free-standing walking.

And I think the fact that it's a rumor means we should scrutinize it even more. Not necessarily getting ourselves worked up one way or another, but talking about all the potential possibilities/impossibilities of it.

 

[skier_pete]

And I think the fact that it's a rumor means we should scrutinize it even more. Not necessarily getting ourselves worked up one way or another, but talking about all the potential possibilities/impossibilities of it.

That to me is what I enjoy about these threads - we can't really know that any of these things are going to happen until officially announced. What's fun with rumors is playing around with whether they are likely to be true. Some rumors are so wild that they can't possibly be true. Others don't seem to make much sense, but still could be true. This seems to me to be one of those - or at least that it is partly true. For instance, they could be working on roaming AAs, but someone that isn't super knowledgable just says "Oh, it's probably a wookie or something" and then they report it as "a wookie".

Back to the actual wookie - why would you even need an animatronic face for a wookie. Did chewie ever have a real expressive face? It was always a guy in a mask. If his cheeks suddenly start puffing out, it wouldn't even look right.

 

[Lurkerin]

Where's the money they are making on the system?

They may not be making a lot on the Big data side yet, but they are turning a profit on the additional sales side. I can personally confirm that if it weren't for the piece of plastic on my arm I probably would have saved an extra $200 on my last trip. If they can get each family to spend $100 bucks extra because they don't think about pulling out their card, it's a win. I bet it pays for itself in 10 years just on the sales side. It's probably depreciated over 7 years anyway.

 

[rteetz]

That to me is what I enjoy about these threads - we can't really know that any of these things are going to happen until officially announced. What's fun with rumors is playing around with whether they are likely to be true. Some rumors are so wild that they can't possibly be true. Others don't seem to make much sense, but still could be true. This seems to me to be one of those - or at least that it is partly true. For instance, they could be working on roaming AAs, but someone that isn't super knowledgable just says "Oh, it's probably a wookie or something" and then they report it as "a wookie".

Back to the actual wookie - why would you even need an animatronic face for a wookie. Did chewie ever have a real expressive face? It was always a guy in a mask. If his cheeks suddenly start puffing out, it wouldn't even look right.

I've heard several rumors about roaming droids and stuff like that so something else walking around might not be out of the question. Disney really wants to make this an immersive experience.

Chewie might not have but you could make the face talk and have mouth movements and such like talking Mickey.

 

[Grand Admiral]

I'm a little late to the topic, but clearly the thing that unites all of the Pixar movies is the Pizza Planet delivery truck. (Although there is much debate about whether it's actually in The Incredibles)

 

[Spacedog1975]

Back to the actual wookie - why would you even need an animatronic face for a wookie. Did chewie ever have a real expressive face? It was always a guy in a mask. If his cheeks suddenly start puffing out, it wouldn't even look right.

Peter Mayhew was never wearing a traditional mask in the Star Wars films. It's some sort of appliance. He had full articulation. I doubt they will use this method in the parks as it takes a long time for application and characters usually wander in short sessions. An electronic mask would work better.

 

[HeroOfWDW]

Peter Mayhew was never wearing a traditional mask in the Star Wars films. It's some sort of appliance. He had full articulation. I doubt they will use this method in the parks as it takes a long time for application and characters usually wander in short sessions. An electronic mask would work better.

Just found a leaked image of said electronic mask

 

[rteetz]

News

Marvel day at sea expands in 2018

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...ect-disney-magic-sailings-from-miami-in-2018/

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

The title of Star Wars: Episode VIII has been revealed this morning. The movie title will be The Last Jedi.

http://www.starwars.com/news/the-of...-wars-episode-viii-revealed?cmp=smc|785924799

 

[mikepizzo]

The title of Star Wars: Episode VIII has been revealed this morning. The movie title will be The Last Jedi.

http://www.starwars.com/news/the-official-title-for-star-wars-episode-viii-revealed?cmp=smc|785924799

A film pet peeve of mine is when the word "last" is used in a title...specifically in a franchise.