Would a SW theme park be profitable?

Jean Paul · Post by **Jean Paul** » 2004-10-20 05:06pm

Do you think if LFL set one up it would be profitable?

If it was done, what should it be like?

Personally, the only idea I have in my head so far is that it should be dominated by a gigantic, 1:1 scale model of an ISD (yes I am aware this means a mile long) supported above the ground on massive stanchions. Though how it would be built I don't know... it would probably require actual marine shipyard assets just to put the thing together.

Either that, or a giant 1:1 scale dirigible blimp in the shape of an ISD flying around. Actually if that were built it could go on world tours and stuff... would be quite a sight to see.

Yay for mental masturbation!

Anyway what do you guys think?

Praxis · Post by **Praxis** » 2004-10-20 05:27pm

I must saw, SMALLER than scale. Scale would be INSANE.

But I definitely want to see a ride something like the Star Trek Experience in Vegas, with the bridge and all the main parts of an ISD including the Hangar (which is where the ride would be).

Jean Paul · Post by **Jean Paul** » 2004-10-20 06:00pm

INSANE, but insanely cool.

Scale should be OK.. the biggest real ship (the one in my av) is about a third of a mile long.

Since the model wouldn't actually have to go anywhere, but just sit in one place continuously, supported by huge steel uprights along its length, it wouldn't actually require a monstrous degree of strength as a whole or anything. Entry could be via a large gantry sticking up from the ground into the ventral bay, with an elevator, and a ramp leading over to the hanger... then you could have tours of the bridge and stuff.

Maybe a VSD... even at 900 meters, still huge.

Of course things like the Millenium Falcon or the shuttle Tyderium would be fairly simple to model in 1:1 scale. So would X-wings, Tie fighters etc. Tantive IV would be pushing the envelope...

For a viewing point over the whole theme park, there could be a replica of the Emperor's tower (on the DSII in RoTJ).

Hey, if you had GL's money...

Darwin · Post by **Darwin** » 2004-10-20 06:07pm

being able to take tours of the 1:1 falcon would at least resolve any issues about its floorplan or odd internal geometry!

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi · Post by **Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi** » 2004-10-20 09:16pm

Probably not an entire theme park, but perhaps a few rides/attractions at an existing park would work.

An entire 1:1 scale ISD would be too much, if it could be built, it would be far too expensive, and there wouldn't be many people that would be willing to tour all of it. A replica of the bridge and the area around it would probably be better.

Elheru Aran · Post by **Elheru Aran** » 2004-10-20 09:29pm

They already have SW attractions-- notably the 'Star Tours' ride at the Disney theme parks.

Mark S · Post by **Mark S** » 2004-10-20 10:32pm

Scale replicas of the smaller ships would be cool but I'd leave the ISD for one of those virtual tours.

IRG CommandoJoe · Post by **IRG CommandoJoe** » 2004-10-20 10:34pm

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi wrote:An entire 1:1 scale ISD would be too much, if it could be built, it would be far too expensive, and there wouldn't be many people that would be willing to tour all of it. A replica of the bridge and the area around it would probably be better.

Is it even possible to have a 1:1 scale ISD floating with full access to all of its facillities? I don't think so. If they were able to make a 1:1 scale ISD float up above the theme park, all I'd expect it to have would be a primary hangar bay, a bunch of corridors leading to the turbolift (regular elevator

) which takes you to the bridge, and that's about it. Maybe if we got lucky they would also have the HTL batteries. Besides, nothing else of the ISD was even shown in the movies.

[wank]But I'd have to admit it'd be damned cool to take a Lambda-class shuttle up (maybe a tram car) into the primary hangar bay, step out to see a full honor guard of Stormtroopers, TIE pilots, and officers ready to take you on a tour. Hell, maybe most of the masked soldiers could all be statues, since they don't have to move or anything. When the shuttle lands and the ramp lowers, a few columns could march into place, creating the illusion they just finished forming up. The hangar bay could have a bunch of TIEs and various other craft on the racks and parked.

The bridge windows could be TV screens that would show a bunch of stuff going on. Like maybe you walk onto the bridge when the captain starts telling you about the ship and then all of a sudden a Rebel task force drops out of hyperspace and ambushes the ship. The Rebels take heavy losses, and then escape back into hyperspace. The captain orders his crew to track the Rebel trajectory and pursue them into hyperspace. You enter hyperspace and then see a Rebel fleet/shipyard/planet/etc. When the captain sees how much crap he has to go up against he could be like, "Get these civilians off the bridge! This is no place for them!" and then you get shuffled off to the HTL batteries where you witness the gunnery crews firing on Rebel ships. Man, that would be frigging awesome.[/wank]

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2004-10-20 10:40pm

The only realistic way to build a full scale ISD would be to have it be nothing more then a giant skeletal frame covered in fiberglass. I suppose you could have some enclosed walkways and elevators inside it, so that people could go up to the bridge and look out. But that would never begin to justify the cost.

IRG CommandoJoe · Post by **IRG CommandoJoe** » 2004-10-20 10:42pm

Sea Skimmer wrote:The only realistic way to build a full scale ISD would be to have it be nothing more then a giant skeletal frame covered in fiberglass. I suppose you could have some enclosed walkways and elevators inside it, so that people could go up to the bridge and look out. But that would never begin to justify the cost.

Of course, which is why I put the "wank" brackets.

IRG CommandoJoe · Post by **IRG CommandoJoe** » 2004-10-20 10:49pm

Maybe another way to achive all of what I said would be to have it all in an enclosed building. The shuttle you would take up to the ISD would be in a spaceport hangar or something similar. You step in and the cockpit windows are TV screens showing it leave the atmosphere, exit orbit, and dock inside of the ISD's primary hangar bay. Then when you step out, you're magically inside the hangar bay! How does this happen? The shuttle you're in actually moves into an adjacent room via hidden crane hooking up with a hook on the shuttle's exterior too high up to notice from the ground. Before the ramp lowers and lets out the passengers, it detaches from the hook and is replaced up into the ceiling of the hangar bay, or swung out of the room or whatever. Then everything else takes place, except that the turbolifts are merely small rooms you step into, wait a while, step out of and into the bridge and HTL batteries.

Kurgan · Post by **Kurgan** » 2004-10-21 01:18am

Only if it were a scale model of the Death Star in orbit....

J/k

Someone mentioned Star Tours, before I did, my thoughts exactly.

IRG CommandoJoe · Post by **IRG CommandoJoe** » 2004-10-21 02:00am

As cool as Star Tours is, I still think they could come up with something better than that.

Drooling Iguana · Post by **Drooling Iguana** » 2004-10-21 10:03am

Jean Paul wrote:Of course things like the Millenium Falcon or the shuttle Tyderium would be fairly simple to model in 1:1 scale. So would X-wings, Tie fighters etc. Tantive IV would be pushing the envelope...

Not necessarily, considering the TARDIS-like nature of the Falcon.