Disney has officially announced two major expansions for its theme parks, bringing Star Wars Land into both its Walt Disney World and Disneyland resorts.
The announcement was made at Disney’s annual D23 expo, held in Anaheim, as SlashFilm reports. Both of the park expansions will be the largest ever undertaken by Disney, covering 14 acres each. The Star Wars Land expansions are set to be massively immersive experiences, populated by servers and workers from the Star Wars universe who will act in-character. According to Disney president Bob Iger, Star Wars Land will be filled with aliens, droids, and various other characters, even featuring a Cantina.
“Every restaurant, building, everything will be inhabited by the aliens and droids you’d expect to find there. You’d expect to find a Cantina — and there will be one. You’ll have the chance to run into all the droids and fantastic beasts that Star Wars is known for. You’ll meet characters from The Force Awakens and more from the Star Wars saga. The land will have two fantastic signature attractions, including the ability to take the controls of the Millennium Falcon on a customized secret mission.”
The setting for the new Star Wars Land will reportedly be a planet never before seen in the films, described as “a remote trading port and one of the last stops before wild space where Star Wars characters and their stories come to life.” During the panel at which the expansions were announced, it was hinted that the attractions will be filled with creatures going about their own business, wandering around for guests to encounter.
Lest anyone think that Star Wars Land will focus on any one aspect of the saga, Iger noted that the parks will include elements both from previous films and the upcoming trilogy set to begin with The Force Awakens , as Comicbook.com reports.
“These new lands at Disneyland and Walt Disney World will transport guests to a whole new Star Wars planet, including an epic Star Wars adventure that puts you in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance.”
Get ready: ‘Star Wars’ land is coming to Disney theme parks http://t.co/9paUO2bzoi pic.twitter.com/eoZQ3jVy10
— New York Post (@nypost) August 16, 2015
The D23 Expo was rife with other details regarding the future of the Star Wars universe, including the first image from Star Wars: Rogue One , and the announcement that Colin Trevorrow is set to direct Star Wars: Episode IX , as the Inquisitr previously reported.
[Photos by Disney / Lucasfilm via Getty Images]
