Disney Dish: Hollywood Studios FastPass Changes & Epcot UK Pavilion Expansion

Hollywood Studios FastPass and Crowd Management

• 🗓️ Starting August 29th, 2019, coinciding with the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, Disney's Hollywood Studios will implement FastPass rationing.
• 🎢 Most rides, including Tower of Terror, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, and Toy Story attractions, will move to Tier 1, allowing guests to select only one in advance.
• 🎭 Tier 2 will include shows and high-capacity attractions like Muppet Vision.
• 💡 The strategy aims to manage expected large crowds by directing guests into traditional queues, thereby freeing up walkways for more visitors.

Galaxy's Edge Reservation Strategy Shifts

• ⚠️ Initially, Disney had strict reservation policies for Galaxy's Edge, preventing changes to party sizes.
• 📉 Following low attendance at Disneyland after the opening, Disney began contacting reservation holders to invite more guests.
• 👥 This shift aimed to increase park attendance by filling reservation slots, even with strangers.
• 📈 This strategy, along with revoking employee park access, has slightly increased crowds from a 1 to 10 scale of one to two.

Epcot's UK Pavilion Expansion Plans

• 🇬🇧 Discussions about expanding Epcot's UK pavilion have existed since 1982, with initial concepts including a British Music Hall with live shows and dinner.
• 🎭 A consultant recalled challenges in aligning Disney's vision with authentic music hall performances, citing concerns over alcohol availability and show length.
• 🌳 A proposed "Fantasy Forest" hedge maze featuring characters from English children's books was planned for the area between the UK and Canada pavilions in the mid-1990s.
• 🏠 More recently, plans involved retooling the back of the UK retail space to resemble houses from "Mary Poppins Returns," including a practical door for character meet-and-greets.
• 🎢 However, due to the film's underperformance, the scope of the Mary Poppins-themed expansion has been reduced, potentially to a single flat ride or even canceled.

Universal's Hagrid's Coaster and Park Attendance

• 🎢 Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure at Universal's Islands of Adventure has seen extremely long wait times, with reports of up to 10 hours.
• 👍 Despite the waits, guests who have ridden it generally love the attraction, with some considering it one of the top coasters in the country.
• ⛈️ A noted flaw is its outdoor nature, leading to shutdowns during inclement weather.
• 📉 Overall park attendance, both at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, has been lower than expected, prompting Disney to offer discounts like the "Get Your Ears On" ticket for Florida residents.

Galaxy's Edge Construction Costs and Oga's Cantina

• 💰 The initial $1 billion price tag for Galaxy's Edge is now considered outdated, with some estimates suggesting over $3 billion, largely due to the complexity of "Rise of the Resistance."
• ⏳ "Rise of the Resistance" is facing significant delays, with potential opening dates pushed to early 2020 due to technical challenges.
• 🚀 Disney aims to open "Rise of the Resistance" in Anaheim concurrently with Walt Disney World's Galaxy's Edge opening on August 29th to create a significant media impact.
• 🍹 Reservations for Oga's Cantina are extremely popular, with all slots reportedly being taken within minutes of becoming available once the park opens.