OPINION
To be honest, I was pretty disappointed by the new Galaxy’s Edge land in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Not because it wasn’t massive in scale or immersive in environment. Not because it lacked painstaking detail in the props and landscape. Not even because it featured strange-colored, quasi-milk drinks. No, what disappointed me was the obscurity of its inspiration, the backwater village of Black Spire Outpost on the planet Batuu.
Um, what?
There are so many great locations that are indelibly inked in the minds of Star Wars fans. Why spend a billion dollars to build a land featured in a novel? Sure, it was a New York Times Best Seller, but still. There are so many better locations to choose from. Who wouldn’t want to experience the back alleys of Mos Eisley? Or explore the rebel base on Hoth? Or prowl the dark corridors of the Death Star? Heck, even wandering around Jar Jar’s underwater city on Naboo would have been more interesting than Batuu (and, let’s face it, the humidity of Florida already makes you feel like you’re submerged).
I hope Disney isn’t set to do it all over again.
In just a few months the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular! at Disney’s Hollywood Studio will shut down while it gets revamped. It’s expected to be closed throughout 2020 and reopen sometime in 2021. While details are scarce, early reports suggest the theme of the show will change from being a behind the scenes look at what goes into filming a stunt to a pure live-action adventure.
Will it feature recreations of scenes from the movies? Only time will tell.
My advice to Disney is to give us something familiar. Give us something we’ve seen, something we want to experience for ourselves, something iconic.
The original Indy show did just that. It recreated iconic scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark, like escaping from a rolling boulder, chasing after an idol, and fighting on a plane surrounded by explosions.
I think that explains why the show is a fan favorite. It’s familiar. Other fan favorites take the same approach. The Beauty and the Beast show is basically an abridged version of the film. The Frozen singalong has all the songs we love. That’s what the fans want. That’s why we go see them.
Disney, please give us what we want. Give us classic Indy.