During 2015’s bi-annual D23 Expo, Disney finally confirmed what we’ve known for more than a year: Star Wars Land is coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland! Although Disney was vague on specifics (especially when it comes to timetables, saying repeatedly that a new land of this magnitude “takes time”) we did learn quite a lot about what kind of attractions, restaurants and experiences will make this land the most immersive and ambitious Disney has ever created.
1. There will be TWO all-new rides
Though we know that the existing Star Tours will be a part of the forthcoming Star Wars Land, it looks like two more rides will be joining the roster. First up is a flight simulator ride that allows guests to “take the controls of one of the most recognizable ships in the galaxy, the Millennium Falcon, on a customized secret mission”.
While we know the basic concept behind this first attraction, little is known about the second new ride coming to Star Wars Land. All that has been confirmed so far is that the events of this second ride are set against the backdrop of the forthcoming Star Wars films (including Episode VII and next year’s Rogue One), and guests will be put in the middle of a battle with new Star Wars baddies The First Order.
Though we only know the most basic details at this point about these two new attractions, it seems like a good sign that they are using both the original trilogy as well as the new films as inspiration for attractions in this area. Hopefully we’ll learn more about these attractions (especially the second) in the coming months.
2. Guests will be able to grab a drink at the Star Wars Cantina
One development that was rumored for the original Star Wars Land that ended up making the cut for the reimagined version of this band new land is the iconic Star Wars Cantina. As with the attraction announcements, we don’t have much in the way of details about this new dining location, but concept art seems to indicate that there will be several rooms in this dining location, which will all feature different entertainment options. The famous Blue Milk drink can also be seen in the concept art, and should be available at this location. Perhaps Disney is hoping Blue Milk will become the new Butterbeer?
3. All shops, dining establishments and souvenirs will be “in-universe”
Speaking more broadly, it was confirmed at 2015’s D23 Expo that Star Wars Land would only feature drinks, souvenirs and shops that make sense inside the Star Wars universe. Much like a certain Wizarding World down the street, things like Diet Coke, Starbucks coffee, or anything else from “our world” will not be available for purchase anywhere inside this all-new area.
This is definitely a smart move by Disney, as the decision to exclude anything from the outside world at any of Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter lands has been a well-received feature that guests have actually enjoyed, as it heightens the immersion, making the land feel that much more “real”.
However, this development doesn’t come without some unique challenges. One of the reasons why the deep immersion found in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter works so well is because the Harry Potter novels and films have a rich world filled with magical items and specific foods and drinks that are easily pulled right from the page (or screen).
While Star Wars doesn’t have much in the way of signature foods or iconic items (other than lightsabers, of course) the minds behind the forthcoming Star Wars Land have a unique opportunity here to really get creative and dream up some imaginative merchandise and food items that would work well in this universe (although we’ll have to insist they try harder than Darth Maul-shaped hummus…)
4. The land will span 14 acres…somewhere
According to Disney, Star Wars Land will be the largest single-themed land expansion in its history. Though 14 acres is a little smaller than nearby Diagon Alley (which is 20 acres), this area still gives Star Wars Land plenty of space for the aforementioned two new attractions, a few dining establishments and hopefully some interesting shops as well.
However, what’s less certain is exactly where this new land will go at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We know that the current Star Tours ride will be a part of this new land, but what remains to be seen is what exactly will be taken out to make room for the 14 acres this new land will require. Could Star Wars Land expand to where MuppetVision 3D is now? Are the Streets of America and Lights, Motors, Action toast? Or will Echo Lake be restructured (as was rumored last year) and Star Wars Land jigsawed in? It seems curious that we still don’t know exactly where this land will be going at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but hopefully we’ll get more information soon.
5. There’s still a lot to be revealed
Speaking of getting more information, while executives and Imagineers at D23 definitely gave us a solid first look at what we can expect from Star Wars Land, we are painfully short on details. Work has not begun yet on Star Wars Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (or at Disneyland either, for that matter), and no projected start date was given for Star Wars Land at either park. Unfortunately, this announcement is reminiscent of that of Pandora: The World of Avatar, which was first unveiled in 2011, and is now projected to open in 2018 after construction began in 2014, nearly three years after the initial announcement.
Of course, there’s more than just timetables that have yet to be revealed. During the D23 panel, several pieces of concept art were flashed across the screen with no explanation (like the one above), and seem to depict unannounced components of this project that we have yet to learn about.
We also would love to know more about the new attraction designed to tie into the upcoming series of films, but we suspect that this new ride is being kept under wraps on purpose. Hopefully once Episode VII is released later this year Disney will remove some of the secrecy around this upcoming ride experience.
Though the prospect of walking around Star Wars Land is certainly amazing, one thing that was painfully clear during the D23 presentation was that this project won’t be realized for quite a long time. Considering the poor state of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, this seems like a big problem, as the park needs some serious TLC (beyond that which Toy Story Land can provide). While these initial announcements have definitely got us excited for Star Wars Land, we’re not looking forward to the long wait between announcement and opening day, which could be as far as a decade out (though we certainly hope not!)
Are you excited for Star Wars Land to come to Disney’s Hollywood Studios?
