Walt Disney World’s long-awaited Star Wars -themed hotel is a step closer to becoming a reality, Orlando Business Journal is reporting.
On Monday, the Walt Disney Company filed permits with the State of Florida for “clearing, earthwork mass grading and development,” as well as for a bridge over a nearby waterway. The filing doesn’t specifically mention anything about a Star Wars -themed hotel, but considering the location of the proposed construction — right where Disney announced the hotel would be — there’s little else that the filing could be about.
Announced last summer at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, the Star Wars -themed hotel is to be an extension of the company’s investment in the Star Wars franchise.
“This first-of-its-kind resort will combine luxury with complete immersion into an authentic Star Wars story. At the resort, guests immediately become active citizens of the galaxy and can dress up in the proper attire. Every resort window also will have a view into space. The opportunity for immersion at this resort also will stand out among all Disney resorts around the globe, as it will be connected seamlessly to Star Wars : Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, allowing guests a total Star Wars experience.”
According to the plans, you can (if you use your imagination) see that the proposed building sort of resembles what may some day become a mock-up of a spaceship from the Star Wars universe.
New Permit Reveals How Star Wars Hotel Guests May Access Disney’s Hollywood Studios https://t.co/n8r1FydahK pic.twitter.com/kXnNsJuSmq
— The DIS (@TheDIS) July 2, 2018
That would be in keeping with the company’s description of what the hotel will be about — essentially, extending the theme that guests are boarding a spaceship.
What’s more, the plans map out how the planned luxury resort hotel will integrate into the existing parking and roadway system that currently surrounds Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park. As The Disney Food Blog reported earlier this year, the hotel will physically back up against Star Wars : Galaxy’s edge, a new themed area coming to the theme park. These plans seem to confirm those reports.
It is not known, as of this writing, when the new hotel will open. The company is bringing Star Wars -themed “lands” to both Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World in Florida. The California “land” is scheduled to open first, in 2019, with the Florida land to follow. It seems likely that the new hotel and new “land” will open on the same day.
Meanwhile, Disney’s Hollywood Studios just this week opened up the long-expected Toy Story Land to rave reviews. Toy Story Land was to be the first of two expected expansions of the theme park, Star Wars : Galaxy’s Edge being the second.
