News Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run and Disney's Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Land Win Awards

[Disneyidol]

So the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Expo was this last weekend and yesterday at the Orange County Convention Center. They give out awards and here's some of the winners...("THEA" Awards "Themed Entertainment Association")

• Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run at Disney's Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge land in Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park in Orlando: Outstanding Achievement Award in the attractions category

• Disney's Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge - Outstanding Achievement Award in the new park land category

• Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure at Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park: Outstanding Achievement Award in the attractions category

Here's more from the association on why Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and its Millennium Falcon ride were honored:

This multifaceted [Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge] experience combines epic and detailed placemaking, themed retail and dining, immersive theatrical techniques and interactive attractions into an audacious, genre-redefining, 14-acre adventure that lets park guests live their own Star Wars story in ways never before possible within the boundaries of a conventional theme park. The intricate layout, sophisticated use of scale, extension of character details and high quality of execution combine to make this an outstanding example of story-driven, experiential design blurring the line between guest and experience, making every detail “in-world” authentic.

[The Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run] experience combines numerous bleeding-edge technologies seamlessly and invisibly, from the innovative “multi-carousel” loading system that provides an individualized experience while supporting throughput of 1,800 guests per hour; to interactive controls and interfaces that stimulate repeat ridership; to spatial audio and in-cabin lighting effects; to the bespoke, ultra-high-resolution game engine. All work together to complete the illusion of piloting one of the most famous spaceships in all of movie history. The vehicle is screen-accurate in every detail inside and out, and the view from the cockpit presents cinema-quality, real-time visuals.

The Themed Entertainment Association is a Burbank, California-based nonprofit association that represents and provides analysis of the theme park, attractions and other themed entertainment industries. Each year the association works with Aecom, a Los Angeles-based multi-service engineering firm, to release the Theme Index report that shares an in-depth look at attendance and trends throughout the theme park industry.


Thoughts?

[stovk]

Let the negative comments begin...

Thank you for starting off first.

[Laugh-O-Grams]

So the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Expo...

The link is bad, at least for me.

[Mr Wiggins]

Thoughts?

Since Disney management insists that Star Wars Land is a ginormous hit, it's puzzling why their slashing of staff and live entertainment continues across the DLR. From disappearing holiday decorations to vanishing parking lot attendants, Disney's cheapouts continue to shortchange its customers. Winning a top award for an under-performing land is no doubt a nice diversion for a management team that's desperate for good news, but it hardly helps consumers who are being charged more and offered less.

[denyuntilcaught]

Congrats! Well-deserved. Another great piece of news, the theme music for SW:GE has also just been nominated for a Grammy: https://blogmickey.com/2019/11/star-...-for-a-grammy/

[Disneyidol]

Since Disney management insists that Star Wars Land is a ginormous hit, it's puzzling why their slashing of staff and live entertainment continues across the DLR. From disappearing holiday decorations to vanishing parking lot attendants, Disney's cheapouts continue to shortchange its customers. Winning a top award for an under-performing land is no doubt a nice diversion for a management team that's desperate for good news, but it hardly helps consumers who are being charged more and offered less.

Exactly. While I personally haven’t been to Orlando and Hagrids Magical creatures attraction - I have watched numerous POV videos and I don’t think there’s even a doubt that that attraction is superior to Smugglers Run. And these bozos calling SR filled with “numerous bleeding-edge technologies” - hahahawhich exactly are those? Hagrids has a super themed meticulous queue that’s fully operational and so interesting and the SR queue is d e a d with nothing but some sounds and effects in the “main room” that looks like a tacky replica of the main room of Space Mountain. Sorry but this bites.

[Disneyidol]

Congrats! Well-deserved. Another great piece of news, the theme music for SW:GE has also just been nominated for a Grammy: https://blogmickey.com/2019/11/star-...-for-a-grammy/

Haha that’s ironic. Guests so far can’t even really experience it... it’s too expensive to utilize it throughout the bland land. Bland.

[Zorro]

I wondering if the Golden Raspberries will add a category for theme park attractions.

[Mike Yanez]

I seen it, and i seen it work, but no one is saying what or how the fast pass is working at the Millennium Falcon ride. I see people scan and its a totally different line. But no employee is saying nothing. All i get is there is no fast pass. Can anyone clarify that

[Starcade]

I am curious to why the Orlando version won and not the original Anaheim version?

[stovk]

*RUMOR ALERT*

I'm curious on what they're going to do with the Millennium Falcon in SWGE after the release of "Rise of Skywalker"? According to rumors,

"Sheev cackles and shoots out Force Lightening to disable the entire Resistance Fleet. The Millennium Falcon gets blown up. Leia, Lando, Chewie, 3PO, and R2 die. This is supposed to be the 'saddest' part of the movie"

This single scene caused people to walkout of the test screening.

And somehow Mary...um, er, Rey is supposedly going to beat Sheev in battle.

This just gets better and better.

[biggsworth]

*RUMOR ALERT*

I'm curious on what they're going to do with the Millennium Falcon in SWGE after the release of "Rise of Skywalker"? According to rumors,

""

This single scene caused people to walkout of the test screening.

This just gets better and better.

Wow didn't expect a spoiler for the movie to be here really dude? If they really go out that way I would be super disappointed.

[TLand2055]

*RUMOR ALERT*

I'm curious on what they're going to do with the Millennium Falcon in SWGE after the release of "Rise of Skywalker"? According to rumors,

Isn't the land set before that movie?

[stovk]

Wow didn't expect a spoiler for the movie to be here really dude? If they really go out that way I would be super disappointed.

It's highly doubtful it will be in the story. I just find the multitude of "rumors" funny. There is even a rumor that Darth never died and helps Rey. I just figured this rumor would be funny considering the MF is in SWGE.

[biggsworth]

It's highly doubtful it will be in the story. I just find the multitude of "rumors" funny. There is even a rumor that Darth never died and helps Rey. I just figured this rumor would be funny considering the MF is in SWGE.

It would be a horrible way to end that story. It would be funny though to rip out the Falcon to stay as a living place lol

[Laugh-O-Grams]

It would be a horrible way to end that story. It would be funny though to rip out the Falcon to stay as a living place lol

Maybe they would put a Lawn in its place?

[biggsworth]

Maybe they would put a Lawn in its place?

LOL! now that is the kind of forward thinking that gets you promoted around here!

[Eagleman]

Maybe they would put a Lawn in its place?

and NO TREES !

[Natalie Price]

Thanks for starting it off! Have you been to the land yet what are your thoughts? I for one think it looks awesome even if they fell short of delivering what they told us they would. I do enjoy being there although they could use some characters walking around to really sell off the idea we're on a different planet.

I was part of the opening team and I work there five days a week.

[Tomorrowland_1967]

Let’s talk about IAPPA and TEA for a moment .... new theme parks, lands, rides don’t come out each year like movies do. If you got a handful of new ride experiences that debuted this year ... there’s not a whole lot competing to get top honors. Imagine only three films came out in 1986 and Howard the Duck was one of them. Good chance George Lucas would have won some award with very little competition! 😆