Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida, will be debuting their brand new concept “Star Wars Land” in as early as 2016. It’s unclear if the expansions will open in increments to follow the upcoming movies, but Disneyland Resort has reserved 14 acres of land in Frontierland where the Big Thunder Ranch is currently located. It will be the largest single-land expansion Disneyland has had in history.
Star Wars Land will be several depictions of the Star Wars Universe and the concept will be a whole new planet. The land will incorporate familiar and unfamiliar faces and places.
Walt Disney Parks & Resort Chairman Bob Chapek said, “Nothing in the land will be out of character or stray from the story.”
This will be a full Star Wars immersion because there will be no Cast Members in the area. Instead, every store, attraction and restaurant will be operated by Star Wars inhabitants such as humanoids, droids and even expected animatronic shopkeepers.
This will also mean lots of new merchandise similar to the BB-8 droid and other The Force Awakens gear that rolled out for “Force Friday” on Sept. 4, 2015. There will even be Star Wars Cantina blue milk!
Cast member and devoted Star Wars fan Bobby Belleville thinks this expansion is great for the company. He trusts Disney with making the developments as authentic as possible. Disney is known for their details and Carsland being a success, “I’m confident Star Wars Land will not be cheesy.” As to what character he doesn’t care to see? “I really hope Jar Jar Binks is not around,” said Belleville. Only time will tell if the production team listens to the years of hate comments against the character.
Both Star Wars Land locations will incorporate two major attractions; One is confirmed to be a customized secret mission, the Millennium Falcon, and the other will be a legendary Star Wars adventure that puts guests in the middle of a “climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance,” said CEO Bob Iger.
Disneyland’s Space Mountain in Tomorrowland will be re-imagined as Hyperspace Mountain with an X-wing Starfighter battle. Disneyland’s current Star Tours-The Adventure Continues and Jedi Training Academy will be adding to their attractions with the upcoming films.
There will be an all new Seasons of the Force event coming to Disneyland Resort and Hollywood Studios Theme Park in Florida in 2016. The Florida location will include weekend firework shows to the Star Wars theme song.
Annual Passholder Madison Brown is unsure about the location of the new Star Wars Land at Disneyland Resort because she thinks the new land should have been in Tomorrowland.
“The two lands will be on opposite sides of the park! That is a long walk and Disney will now have two spaces for Star Wars,” Brown said.
She thinks guests will be disappointed with the location chosen because of those who adore the ranch area. It’s not clear what will happen to the petting zoo currently located in Big Thunder Ranch or where the company will be moving the performing area known now as the Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree.
Though menu and other park details are still being released, it’s clear the Happiest Place on Earth is sure to bring Star Wars fans of all ages continuous joy.