2019 has marked a very big year for Disney theme parks. Within the span of 3 months, we saw a major expansion to 2 different Disney parks on 2 different coasts in the U.S. that many Disney fans have been waiting for with bated breath since the announcement was made on August 15, 2015; 4 years ago. Of course, I'm referring to the openings of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland in California and Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World in Florida.

The first opening was at Disneyland on May 31, 2019, and it was expected to draw intense crowds that would have the land itself reaching capacity for months after its opening, denying many guests from even being able to walk  into the land without a "reservation".

The grand opening was epic and drew large crowds, but Disneyland's execution of crowd control received the credit for managing the large crowds to the point where their virtual queue (or "reservation" system) was lifted shortly after opening, allowing guests to explore the land freely. It wasn't long after that fans started wondering if, perhaps, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge wasn't drawing the crowds that everyone anticipated, and the focus quickly turned to the version that would soon open at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida.

When that day came, there was much excitement and plenty of buzz, but since it's opening a month ago, crowd levels have been anywhere from light to manageable. The star attraction, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run, routinely experiences wait times as little as 30-60 minutes; far less than the 2-3 hour wait that Flight of Passage at Disney's Animal Kingdom is still experiencing 2 years after its opening. So what happened? Did the hype just not live up to reality with Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge or is it just a victim of overly-critical commentary on social media by bloggers, podcasters, etc? Some people are even going as far to call the new land a "failure". So is this new land a "failure"? I actually happen to think there are several factors at play here. I'll elaborate and then let you decide for yourself.

Many people are blaming the surprisingly lower-than-anticipated turnout for Galaxy's Edge on the fact that there is only 1 attraction or "ride", Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run. The land was originally slated to open with a second attraction, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, but it was announced shortly before opening that this second attraction would be delayed until later in the year. The opening date for Rise of the Resistance has since been pushed back, yet again, and isn't slated to open, until December 5, 2019 in Florida and January 17, 2020 in California.

Smuggler's Run is getting glowing reviews from the fans who have turned up to ride this interactive simulator attraction with seemingly endless variations in which you get to fly in the Millennium Falcon, but are many people choosing to wait to visit Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge until both attractions are open?

I would argue that the land itself is the main attraction with several other attractions within it between Smuggler's Run, Oga's Cantina, and the unique shopping and food  & beverage experiences, but there still remains a large swath of casual theme park-goers, who aren't avid Disney or Star Wars fans, who are possibly looking at this as a new land with one new ride.

However, it should be noted that, when The Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened at Universal Studios Florida, there was only one real "new" ride with two re-imagined existing rides. Somehow, it was enough to draw massive crowds with the land reaching capacity for its opening and many months afterward.

Another speculation that many people have been throwing around is the possibility that, perhaps, Star Wars, as an intellectual property, just doesn't appeal to the masses like Harry Potter or Marvel do. The original trilogy of films are classic and resonate across several generations, but are they losing popularity with the younger generation?

Another charge that has been leveled in regards to the IP of Star Wars is that it is mostly characters and references from the newer films that Galaxy's Edge calls on, and while the newer films are still box office blockbusters, they are not quite as revered as the original trilogy of films.

Personally, I wonder if the fan-base that is required to draw the kinds of massive crowds that people were anticipating needs to be broader than it is with the Star Wars franchise. I could be off-base, but I can't help but think that, while Star Wars has extremely dedicated fans willing to wait in line for hours to be the first to see the latest movie, maybe IPs like Harry Potter and Marvel resonate with a much broader population of people.

Another point that has been made with Disney and Star Wars fans alike is the fact that Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge takes place on the planet of Batuu at the Black Spire Outpost, a setting that is supposed to extend the story where the films leave off and allow the guest to continue on a recognizable, yet all-new journey into the Star Wars universe. This means, for example, your cantina experience at Oga's Cantina isn't what you might expect it to be from the Mos Eisley Cantina featured in the 1977 "Star Wars" film, because it is an entirely different bar located on Batuu as opposed to Tattooine, where Mos Eisley was located.

You see familiar faces (or masks) like Storm Troopers marching through the land and on top of buildings and Chewbacca keeping watch over the Millennium Falcon, but besides them, the walk-around characters featured in the land are characters from the newer films like Rey, Kylo Ren, and the somewhat obscure Vi Modari.

It shouldn't be discounted that the Citizens of Batuu act as walk-around characters, in a sense, because I think that cast members can add so much to a guest experience when they are all-in on playing the part. However, many fans are lamenting the absence, so far, of the classic characters like Darth Vader, Obi Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Luke, Leia, Han Solo, etc.

Probably the most obvious reason I've heard people give for the lower-than-anticipated crowds at Disneyland's and Walt Disney World's Galaxy's Edge is the barrage of price hikes that have been hitting the parks and resorts pretty consistently for the last several years. This topic could really be its own blog post, but put simply, many are speculating that Disney is purposely raising their ticket prices, hotel rates, food and merchandise, and other experiences specifically for the sole purpose of  pricing out a segment of park-goers in an attempt to control the crowds in the parks. Others think that Disney feels they are immune to basic laws of economics and they feel they can increase prices as high as they want without losing any of the park-going public.

I've witnessed evidence of the latter. I've seen resort hotel rates double, ticket prices increase multiple times a year, and nearly every new experience that has been added comes with a premium. All the while, the parks continue to be jam-packed and resorts continue to stay booked to the point where I'm frequently told they are all booked up if I don't book my trip weeks, if not months, in advance.

Many people are attributing the light crowds in Galaxy's Edge to a perfect storm of lack of attractions and a niche fan base combined with intense and aggressive price increases on both coasts.

All of this being said, if you're curious as to what all the fuss is about, I think you should check it out for yourself. I happen to think that there is a lot of truth to all of the points mentioned above, at the same time, I thought the theming, interactive nature, and attention to detail in this land was very impressive. I feel like there is much more to do if you enjoy just being in the Star Wars intergalactic setting and wandering around exploring the land versus someone who is just interested in the "rides". For that reason, I feel like the experience is going to be different for different types of people. I could very well see how some people come out feeling like it's the most amazing thing Disney has ever created and some people could leave Galaxy's Edge feeling like Disney created a 14 acre land with 1 (soon to be 2) rides and a ton of merchandise shops.

I'd love to know what you think. How would you rate Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge? Do you think the crowd-size is an indication that this new land is a "failure" or do you attribute it to efficient crowd management on Disney's part? Comment below or send me an email to Bryan@aatmcentral.com.