Disney Parks staff was on hand at this year’s Star Wars Celebration in Chicago to demonstrate the new toys.
Guests will be able to build either an R2- or a BB-series droid. A remote control will allow the droids to go forward and back, and turn left and right. Remotes will also be able to trigger additional accessories, such as blasters and a small collection of mock tools. The entire system runs on AA and AAA batteries.
The experience will allow guests to fully customize the look of their droid with multicolored parts, including an assortment of panels, stickers, and leg assemblies. In addition, droids will also accept a tiny card called a personality chip. Stock droids will always sound like R2-D2 or BB-8, but personality chips can be added to change those sounds. Three chips will be available, one each for the Resistance, Smuggler, and First Order factions.
Once installed, personality chips will also allow droids to react to their trip through the theme park itself. For instance, staff said that droids with Resistance personality chips will be happy when in areas of the park controlled by the forces of good, and scared when in areas controlled by the First Order.
Additional accessories include a drink tray, identical to the one that R2-D2 carried on Jabba’s sail barge in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. There’s also a child-sized backpack, with a small flap at the top that will allow droids to peer out and chirp directly into your ear.
The team also showed off three non-customizable droids. The first was a small black mouse droid, which had a more limited set of features including a set of hidden toy missiles. R3-X, better known to Disney Star Tours fans as Rex, will also be available. Since he’ll be employed in the Galaxy’s Edge cantina as the DJ, his fully functional robot will also act as a Bluetooth speaker.
Finally, Galaxy’s Edge will offer a larger toy based on C-3PO. Standing next to an R2 unit, he looks to be just the right size. Goldenrod has lots of interesting functions, including removable limbs.
