Across the country, the mood inside Disney Headquarters in Burbank was grim.
Roy Disney, Walt's Disney brother sat behind his desk, staring at a small color television set positioned on a side table.
The broadcast displayed aerial footage of the crowds at the Paramount gates.
The news anchor spoke on about the Millennium Falcon replica and the scale of the immersive themed lands.
Roy watched families clad in Star Wars shirts marching through an environment that looked far better than anything currently operating in Anaheim or Orlando.
Card Walker, the CEO entered the office, loosening his tie.
He leaned against the doorframe, his days here at Disney were grim.
Still he tried to calm the room's mood. "It just one park in Florida, and Paramount is not going to take over the market based on a successful opening day."
Ron Miller stood near the window, staring at the broadcast.
The more he looked, the more he realized that girls were severely lacking in most areas.
But when the Broadcast cutted to Wonder Woman, Beauty and the Beast and surprisingly Star Wars, it was filled with young girls and women.
Roy slammed his palm onto the desk, rattling his porcelain coffee cup.
Theme parks were Disney's domain, their company's identity, and a rival studio was now invading their territory.
The room descended into silence as the eyes turned to Roy.
Roy leaned forward, his knuckles white against the desk. "We need to fight back with what we do best," he said. "New stories, not just re-releases."
Ron Miller shook his head from across the table. "We don't have scripts ready yet. We have concepts of plans."
"We can start to develop them and figure things out along the way," Roy shot back. "We have the best animators in the world sitting idle."
"They're waiting because we don't have a plan," Ron said, rolling his eyes. "I'm not throwing millions at any idea just to compete with a theme park. That's how studios go bankrupt."
Card Walker raised his hands, trying to calm the tension. "Gentlemen, please. Let's take a breath. Remember, film isn't our only industry. It isn't even our strongest one."
Roy turned to him, trying to avoid hurling an insult or two to Card. "What are you saying?"
Card gestured toward the television screen.
The helicopter shot still showed the crowds flooding into Paramount Park. "Look at that. It's impressive. But families will get tired of it."
"You don't know that," Roy said.
"I know that we've been in this business for years," Card replied, his voice calm and steady.
"We've survived wars, depressions, changes in leadership. Paramount isn't going to destroy us with a few roller coasters and some plastic lightsabers. They're a film studio, they will suffer with cash soon."
"They have DC," Roy said, ticking off fingers. "Looney Tunes. They have Star Wars now. Those are winners, Card."
Card waved his hand dismissively. "Look at the demographics. Who's buying those toys? Boys, who are a fickle audience."
"They grow out of it and move on to girls, or cars. Star Wars is popular now, but in five years, nobody will reme-"
"Girls like Star Wars too," Roy interrupted. "My niece dragged her mother to the theater to watch it 3 times. And there were women in that audience. Plenty of them."
Card had a vein appear on his forehead as his stress rose.
"A few outliers don't make a trend. We know our audience, families. That's our strength and we must play for that."
Roy stared at him, disbelief across his face. "You think girls don't care about spaceships? Did you even watch the movie?"
Card shifted in his seat. "I read the reviews."
"Read the reviews," Roy repeated, "Card, the theater was full of families, little girls wearing the same t-shirts as the boys. You don't see that?"
"The data at the moment doesn't support-" Card started.
"The data doesn't support anything," Roy cut him off.
"Duke Hauser is 30," Roy continued, his voice rising. "30 years old, and has decades ahead of him."
"He's great at developing IP and he's not going to stop."
The room was quiet. The television screen flickered in the corner showing more footage of the park, and the smiling faces.
"Paramount has Star Wars," Roy said, his voice calmer now. "The biggest film of the moment. And they have a young man talented enough to understands what he's doing."
He leaned back in his chair. "Meanwhile we have re-releases. And a bunch of old animators with nothing to do."
Card opened his mouth to respond, then closed it. Ron stared at the ceiling.
"We need to move," Roy said. "Take risks and stop pretending that the world hasn't changed."
The silence stretched on. No one had an answer.
Ron saw Ron and Card staying quiet and finally took a decision. "I'm leaving Disney this year."
___
Inside the park, a father and son sat in the X-wing escape attraction.
The ride vehicle went fast and sharp to try to simulate flight as hidden speakers blasted the roar of Star Wars engines.
The son gripped the padded safety bar, his knuckles white but his eyes wide.
On the parts the ride slowed, enemy clones apeared from the sides, firing laser blasts which were invisible but the noise was there.
They laughed as they aimed their own blaster that would make noise and shoot water to the clones from afar.
Meanwhile on a courtyard designed to look like a provincial French village, a mother stood by a fountain, holding a camera.
She watched as her young daughter, a little girl who had been wearing the same yellow dress since 6 am, refusing to take it off even for breakfast, meet a Belle lookalike Actress who was fully in character.
The character actor playing Belle knelt down, bringing herself to eye level with the child.
She wore a blue apron over a white peasant blouse.
"Good morning, mademoiselle," Belle said, her voice soft and warm. "What a beautiful dress you have. Are you a princess?"
The little girl nodded, her eyes wide and serious.
She clutched a worn copy of a children's book to her chest. She looked at Belle, then at the book, then back at Belle.
"Belle," the girl whispered. "I brought my favorite book."
Belle's eyes crinkled. "Oh, what is it about?"
The girl hesitated, then leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I haven't learned to read yet. I can only do some of the words."
Belle placed a hand over her heart. "That is wonderful. Books are portals to other worlds. Every time you open one, you can travel somewhere new."
"You know, I think your dress is even more beautiful than mine," Belle said. "The color is radiant, it suits you wonderfully."
The girl twirled again, her skirt flaring out. She stumbled slightly, then caught herself, laughing.
The mother lifted the camera and keep snapping photos. They needed to get enough pictures for the Album.
A teenage girl stood near the spaceport zone, fidgeting with the hem of her white dress.
She had sewed the costume herself.
The fabric was a cheap cotton blend, but she had dyed it to match the shade of Princess Leia's gown.
Her mother had helped with the hair, twin buns coiled over her ears, held in place with bobby pins.
She looked nervous.
A group of older kids walked past, pointing. And she felt her cheeks flush.
Just then a cast member in a white robe approached, smiling. The actress playing Leia had the same confidence as the character on screen.
"Look at you," the actress said, bending her knees slightly to meet her eyes. "The Rebellion could use more soldiers like you. That outfit is perfect."
The girl's face lit up. Her mother snapped a Polaroid, the flash popping bright against the evening sky.
"You really think so?" the girl asked.
"I know so," Leia said.
As dusk settled over Orlando, the crowds gathered in the central plaza.
The fountain in the center where sculpted figures of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman stood tall.
A temporary stage had been erected in front of the fountain. Duke stepped up to the microphone, the crowd buzzing with anticipation.
He adjusted the microphone stand, the metal creaking slightly under his grip.
"Good evening," he said. "Thank you for being here. This park is about the stories we've told for thousands of years, gathered around fires, shared in company, and passed down to our children."
He paused, looking out over the sea of faces.
"Tonight, you've brought the magic here and for that I thank you."
"I also would like to dedicate a thanks to my great friend, J. R. R. Tolkien."
The crowd erupted into applause. A few people whistled.
He stepped back, nodding once, and the lights cut out.
A mortar shell firework launched into the night sky.
A boom echoed across the plaza, followed by a burst of red sparks.
The crowd gasped as red and blue streaks painted the sky.
Children pointed at the flashing colors, their mouths hanging open, while adults recorded the moment on their camcorders.
___
Last Chapter on the park, next chapter Atari and VHS