I'm going to cherry pick the important parts to make it easier on those with ADD! I won't really venture any guesses as I don't know the backstage geography of Hollywood Studios (can you believe a Disney blogger admitting he doesn't know something?!?!) I have however been saying since the day the Lucasfilm purchase was announced that a Star Wars land at DHS had to be imminent. Don't know how realiable this site is or their sources, but it certainly sounds feasible enough. Read and see for yourself. Feel free to comment, especially any Cast Members out there reading this. I won't tell . . .
From www.screamscape.com . . .
>> (3/18/13) Screamscape sources tell us that Disney management informed the Entertainment CMs at the Studios that Pixar’s Countdown to Fun Parade hold final performances on April 6th. While a date was not announced, the insiders also claim that the Disney Channel Rocks show will also soon come to an end as well.
Nothing was announced to replace them, however… there is an odd rumor claiming that the parade float buildings may also be on the chopping block as the park looks to possibly expand with a new project.
With Disney’s Hollywood Studios being the center of the Star Wars Fan Universe for about a month each and every year during the annual Star Wars Weekends events, it would only make sense if Disney were to try and expand their Star Wars themed offerings, wouldn’t you think? The problem as always been space… as the Studios park was not really designed with huge expansion capability in mind, beyond Sunset Blvd, and really was pigeonholed into a corner by nature of its location between World Drive and Buena Vista Drive. The oddly placed parking toll road to the south and a really strange parking lot layout intended to serve both a portion of the Cast Members and Guests as well was just the icing on the cake.
Without expansion being options being mostly off the table, the only way to expand the Star Wars offerings of the Studios would really seem to be to start making some dramatic changes inside the park’s boundaries. MuppetVision and the themed New York streets are located just behind Star Tours and to the right side of Star Tours, while to the left side is the large Backlot Express restaurant and then the Indiana Jones Show area. So it is pretty landlocked unless Disney is willing to star removing something to make room.
In today’s news entry up above regarding the closure of the park’s big parade, there is also a rumor that the Parade Float building may also be removed to make room for a new future project. The parade building in question is located, I believe, essentially right behind the Backlot Express restaurant. This is only an ‘IF’ right now, but IF they were to remove the Backlot Express and clear out the property all the way from there back to the Parade Float building, that would open up a fairly large space where they could possibly build a new Star Wars themed mini-land that could include the often rumored Star Wars Cantina restaurant project proposed for Paris.
There are no rock solid rumors on this yet, but with the Walt Disney World parks blocked from ever putting the Marvel characters to use, it would only make sense that the Studios try to take as much advantage of the Star Wars franchise as they can. And who knows… if they really have some big ideas for a major new attraction as well, there is always a ton of extra space they could work with if they closed down the Indiana Jones stunt show as well. <<
