One entrance is flanked by a TIE fighter representing the evil First Order. The other entryway is dressed as a Resistance encampment with a lifesize X-wing. Beyond is lush greenery contrasting with desert-like domed structures.
This is the alien world of the “Star Wars”-inspired lands coming to Disney’s North American theme parks in 2019. A 50-foot model unveiled at the all-things Disney D23 Expo in Anaheim, Calif., last week showed off a world that looks to be a diverse ecosystem of otherworldly cultures.
While two main attractions are planned, including one that will let guests pilot the famed Millennium Falcon, Disney Imagineers described the area as one that will essentially be large-scale immersive theater.
“A lot of theme park experiences, including our own, are great re-creations of stories — and places where stories happen,” said Imagineering’s Scott Trowbridge, the creative lead on the projects coming to Disneyland Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Fla.
“It’s a great way to revisit fan-favorite stories,” Trowbridge said. “That is not what we wanted to create with this land. We didn’t want to remind you of a ‘Star Wars’ story somebody else had. We wanted to give a place to live your own ‘Star Wars’ story.”
That means guests will be given choices to make as soon as they enter the 14-acre land, aligning themselves with either the good or the dark side — or maybe somewhere in the middle.
“We want to make sure when you come in the land there are places you can explore, that you can get lost in,” Imagineer Chris Beatty said. “If you want to be a bounty hunter and you want to go on a cool mission, we’ll let you do that. There will be moments where we support that, where we let you play.”
Trowbridge noted that the Millennium Falcon attraction, which will feature a lifesize re-creation of the ship and appears to be nestled closer to the First Order-themed area of the land, will be tailored to individual guest experiences.
“If you’re flying the Millennium Falcon on a mission and you bring that ship in all banged up, the boss man might not be too happy,” Trowbridge said. “When you roll into the cantina later on, the bartender might lean over and say, ‘Word on the street is that there’s a bounty on your head.’ Characters are not just on a stage. They’re living with you.”
