Here’s a Sneak Peek of Disneyland’s New ‘Star Wars’ Attraction
By Jack Hough
Barron's
Jan. 3, 2019
Barron’s recently spent an afternoon touring Galaxy’s Edge—a first for the press this late in construction—with executives from construction, operations, and “imagineering,” or creative design, along with a Star Wars expert in a holiday R2-D2 sweater. Here are some scattered notes from that visit, including previously unreported details, some of which might be subject to change.
... Galaxy’s Edge will open in Disneyland this summer,
perhaps by early June. A twin land will open in Disney World later this year. At the Disneyland site, major structures are in place. Walkways and interiors are unfinished, although key set pieces are installed at the attractions. Each land will be 14 acres, compared with 12 acres for Radiator Springs Racers in Disneyland’s sister park, California Adventure.
... For real trees, a team of horticulturalists has taken pains to choose and obtain—and protect—particular species. One sign for the crew on a potted tree awaiting transplanting read, “The cost to replace this tree is $9,000. Please respect all trees and keep this area clean.”
...
Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
In this attraction, Hondo Ohnaka, a pirate, has cut a deal with Chewbacca for the use of the Millennium Falcon, and the visitor is the pilot. The attraction entrance will be subtly marked, so as not to disrupt the look of the land. The ship interior will be familiar to even casual fans of the films, down to the 3-D chess board where Chewie lost his temper during a match with R2-D2.
Visitors will fly the ship in groups of six, and see the real-time results of their actions, such as knocking over a spire during takeoff. The flight will be different each visit. After a ride, the visitor might, say, stop at Oga’s for a drink and be told something like, “The boss isn’t happy about how you brought the ship back.” This is part of an interactive, story-building experience throughout the land that visitors can opt in to or out of.
Rise of the Resistance
Visitors waiting in line for this attraction will wind through highly themed interiors that evoke rundown rooms the Resistance has repurposed as a base for operations against the First Order. Groups of guests might be “captured” at one point and ordered along by the enemy, before making their escape aboard a trackless troop transport. They will see scenes including a stormtrooper formation and one featuring Kylo Ren, perhaps resembling the interrogation scene from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The transport will evade familiar war machines, like the four-legged AT-AT Walkers from The Empire Strikes Back. Up close, these towering metal beasts do not disappoint.
Oga’s Cantina
The first public restaurant in Disneyland to serve alcohol, Oga’s is relatively small for aesthetic reasons, and is likely to be popular. To maximize capacity and keep visits from becoming all-afternoon affairs, most guests will stand. There will be a handful of booths with seating around the outer edge of the restaurant; no decision has been made yet on whether or how these can be reserved. An intricate tangle of tubes and vessels behind the bar might make some drinks appear to flow from the ceiling. We heard a mention of a Fuzzy Tauntaun, named for the furry snow lizards ridden in Empire Strikes Back, although it’s unclear if that’s a hypothetical drink or a planned one, and the menu is still being decided.
... Shops will be supplied from a common stockroom, and restaurants from a common kitchen, to increase efficiency. One shop will feature droids that visitors can customize through an interactive experience. A droid that is made to be, say, afraid of stormtroopers might signal its fear when one comes close. Droids owned by members of the same group might recognize each other when they meet. Prices have not been set. The shop might also sell a full-size R2-D2 for well-heeled fans, perhaps costing thousands.
There will be another shop presided over by Dok-Ondar, a collector who is briefly mentioned in Solo. This character, likely animatronic, will be set apart in a booth from the rest of the staff, not unlike the dispatcher Louie De Palma in the old ABC sitcom Taxi. Cast members might interact with Dok-Ondar, asking him what he’s willing to let certain items go for. Elsewhere, there will be an outdoor market resembling a bazaar. A pod-racing engine, perhaps at the market, will be used to roast meat.
... One possibility is that Star Wars merchandise in shops will come in unique packaging that downplays the logos. Another is that merchandise based on familiar characters will take on new looks. The imagineers visited the archives at Lucasfilm for early concept art. As a hypothetical example, an artisan figure of a familiar character might look slightly off, with the back story being that residents of Batuu have never seen that character, so they don’t know exactly what the figure should look like.
