Disney Offers A Preview Of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
by Erik Amaya
Sure, it will eventually just be known as “Star Wars Land,” but Disney is making the push to seed the minds of theme park fanatics with their upcoming expansion’s approved name: “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.” The lands will be opening at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida over the course of the next year and a half. To drum up some more excitement for the expansions, the company released a video offering a little taste of what people can expect from Galaxy’s Edge.
You have to give them credit for creating such detailed mock-ups for incomplete rides. The Millennium Falcon ride sounds cool, but reports from Disney-watching sites suggest it will not be as interactive as seen in the video. Rise of the Resistance will be interesting to see once fully realized. From the mock-up in the video, it appears to be similar to the Transformers ride at Universal parks; an attraction which is only interesting the first time through. Hopefully, Rise of the Resistance proves to be more compelling on repeat visits.
One thing the video references but does not explore is the immersion. Apparently Disney Park cast members will be trained to act as though they are part of the Star Wars galaxy. First Order Stormtroopers and other space-fairing folk will be in character and further the land’s story. It’s similar to the approach taken at the Avatar themed land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, but taken to a Star Wars degree. One has to wonder how far Stormtroopers will take their characters.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens at Disneyland this summer with the launch at Disney’s Hollywood Studios expected next fall.
