Whatever you think of the new batch of “Star Wars” movies — let’s speak little of the dreaded (but not that evil) prequels — even the prickliest nerd has to admit this is cool: Disney just unveiled its first look at “Star Wars” land. That is: a 14-acre “Star Wars”-themed attraction that will be built at both Disneyland in Anaheim and Disney World in Orlando. Think “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” or the newly opened “Avatar” land at Disney World, only, you know, much cooler. Because it’s “Star Wars.”
At the D23 Expo, Team Disney showed off a 50-foot wide 3-D model of their planned attraction, which is set to open in 2019. Both locations will allow fans the surreal experience of walking through a remote transportation port — a city that hasn’t technically been in a “Star Wars” film (yet). It looks like Mos Eisley — that wretched hive of scum and villainy where Luke and company met Han Solo back in the first “Star Wars” — if it were surrounded by the verdant forests of Endor. It also appears there will be a cantina, presumably stocked with people in alien costumes that trap that intense Florida heat.
Just walking around it sounds like a primo out-of-body experience, but there will also be two big attractions within the land. One will allow visitors to play guest-captain on the Millennium Falcon. The other puts people in the middle of a battle between the Resistance and the evil First Order. The whole thing will cost a reported $1 billion, and we’re just going to assume it will make all the money.
The “Star Wars” movies have long offered one of the richest and most diverse worlds in cinema. As kids, we remember freaking out when Lucasfilm started releasing “Star Wars” video games, allowing fans to feel like they’re inside of this world. This will go even further. Bob Chapek, head of Disney’s parks division, has promised “total immersion,” including interaction with people in character and who knows what else. That said, we’re still a little more stoked to see “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” in December.
You can watch a video of this madness below:
