Disneyland will be closing several popular rides and attractions around the park as resort officials prepare to build the new Star Wars land slated to open sometime in 2017.
The Disney Railroad, the nightly Fantasmic! show and almost everything along the Rivers of America will close during the year-long construction, while Bug Thunder Ranch will close permanently Jan 10, according to the OC Register .
Beginning in January, the park plans to partially drain The Rivers of America and divert the water to Orange County. During construction the Mark Twain Riverboat, the Sailing Ship Columbia, the Davy Crocket Explorer Canoes and the Pirates Lair on Tom Sawyer Island will all be closed.
The announcement comes after Disney announced last month it intended to build Star Wars themed areas in both Anaheim’s Disneyland and Orlando’s Walt Disney World.
Park officials have described the highly-anticipated Star Wars land as a remote trading outpost on a new planet complete with humanoids, droids and a Mos Eisley themed cantina , reports the OC Register.
There has been no set date announced for the reopening of the closed rides and attractions, but Disney officials said they expect construction to take about a year.
The new Star Wars land will replace Big Thunder Ranch, the Jamboree and some backstage areas along with Circle D Ranch where park horses are stabled.
The yearlong construction of the 14-acre Star Wars land planned to feature two major rides is part of a $1 billion investment agreement with the city of Anaheim that will also continue a ban on a Disneyland gate tax for the next 30 years. The deal includes a 5,000 spot parking structure and mandates construction begin no later than the end of 2017.
Check out new details for the #StarWars Season of the Force at #Disneyland ! Read more: http://t.co/CAHZDo4mJm pic.twitter.com/MLCk4N9qUg
— Entertainment Earth (@EntEarth) September 25, 2015
Meanwhile, Disneyland’s Season of the Force is on track to open Nov. 16 in Tomorrowland. The new area will include the Star Wars Launch Bay where fans can browse special exhibits and visit with favorite characters. It also features a re-launched Star Tours and a temporarily changed Space Mountain where guests join an epic X-wing battle , according to the Disneyland blog.
The last major upgrade to Disneyland was in 2012 with the addition of Cars land. Star Wars construction is also planned in Orlando, but no dates have been set yet.
Disneyland cast and crew members affected by the construction will be temporarily relocated.
There is also a mad rush of hotel construction in the Anaheim area with 1,500 new rooms to be available this year, according to the OC Register .
[Photo by Disney Parks /Getty Images]
