[Political Junkie Too]

I don't doubt it; that's what it means to be a fanatic.

I note this line from the article: "Having fallen in love with Star Wars from the time that I first saw it in the late 1970s, it brings this 45 year-old..."

That makes the author what, five years old when the first movie came out? Personally, I can't imagine being that wedded to a fictional character, but that's just me. I suppose Captain Kirk would be my Luke Skywalker from the perspective of the relative age (give on take) of the author to the introduction of the character, but I didn't melt down when the character was killed in such an unspectacular way. Again, that's just me.

I think you put your finger on it with appeal to subsequent fans. Consider:

• Disney is known for cross-promotion of movies and park attractions.
• Pirates of the Caribbean was modified to include Johnny Depp's Captain Sparrow.
• The Haunted Mansion was modified to include Jack Skellington at Halloween.
• The Big Thunder Mountain was timed for renovation fallowing the release of The Lone Ranger, but the movie tanked and the attraction was simply maintained.
• Cars Land.
• The new Star Wars Land.

That last one is the clincher. Disney is betting that the future customers to Disneyland and Walt Disney World in the next ten years are not going to see Luke, Lea, and Han; they will be going to see Rey, Finn, and Poe.

The sad truth is that original fans from 40 years ago will soon be too old to experience Star Wars Land for much longer, but they might go with their grandchildren who want to see the new generation of characters that will be there for the next 40 years.

-PJ

[BradyLS]

Wow! That analysis is so cynical, it must be true! :-D

[DiogenesLamp]

That last one is the clincher. Disney is betting that the future customers to Disneyland and Walt Disney World in the next ten years are not going to see Luke, Lea, and Han; they will be going to see Rey, Finn, and Poe.

Hard to grasp, because I didn't see anything remarkable or interesting about any of them.

[Shethink13]

Cars Land.

I LOVE Cars Land. Just sayin'....