Leisure Management - Living, Breathing, Being Star Wars

Theme parks

From Attractions Management 2017 issue 3

Download PDF of this issue

Living, Breathing, Being Star Wars

Disney wowed fans with news of ‘the most experiential concept ever’, where guests will become characters in their very own multi-day Star Wars stories

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will have a number of experiences, including a Millennium Falcon attraction

Mark Hamill who played Luke Skywalker, presents a detailed model of Star Wars

Galaxy’s Edge; Disney renderings of the hotel

Disney has been capitalising on the Star Wars franchise since acquiring Lucasfilm for US$4bn in 2012

Star Wars was a focal point of the D23 Disney fan expo, held in Anaheim, California, in July, with the announcement of the new themed zone’s official name – Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge – and a highly detailed scale model of how it will look.

More than that, plans to develop a Star Wars-inspired hotel were revealed. Part of Disney’s new “360 vacation” concept – where immersive experiences allow guests to be part of their favourite stories – the holiday would be a living adventure, with visitors staying at the resort existing as part of the Star Wars’ universe.

Though few details have been released, guests will get to role play their character over the period of their stay in an interactive, immersive, story-driven experience. This means every guest’s actions and decisions will have consequences for their own unfolding narrative, and on the cast members – including smugglers, bounty hunters and rogue adventurers – they interact with.

The hotel will be a highly detailed spaceship, where the windows look out at deep space. There is speculation that guests may have the chance to take on secret missions, learn to use light sabers or fly spacecraft, and be waited on by droids.

The Telegraph reports the Star Wars hotel will feature four-bed rooms, a swimming pool, waterpark and fitness centre, and would cost $900 to $1,000 (£700 to £780) per person per two-night stay.

“We want you to ... live out a Star Wars adventure of your own making,” portfolio creative executive at Walt Disney Imagineering, Scott Trowbridge, told IGN during D23. “Let’s say you do a great job in the Millennium Falcon cockpit, you may find some extra intergalactic credits coming your way. But, if you do a lousy job and bang the ship up, the boss might not be too happy with that and when you go over to the Cantina, the barman might let you know the boss is not happy, and you might even end up with a bounty on your head.”

WHAT DID DISNEY SAY?

Parks and resorts Chair Bob Chapek, at D23


	Parks and resorts chair Bob Chapek reveals details of the immersive vacation

“You may have heard that we recently did a survey about an entirely new way to live your very own Star Wars adventure. We wanted to explore a revolutionary vacation experience and I must tell you that the response was out of this world. So, I am thrilled to confirm that we are working on our most experiential concept ever. It combines a luxury resort with immersion in an authentic Star Wars environment. It will invite you to live your own dedicated multi-day adventure in a galaxy far, far away. It’s unlike anything that exists today. From the second you leave Earth, you’ll board a starship alive with characters, stories and adventures that evolve all around you – during the voyage and on the galaxy – that expands several days. You’ll immediately become an active citizen of the galaxy and live everything that that means, including the opportunity, of course, to dress up in the proper attire. It is 100 per cent immersive and the story will touch every single minute of your stay with us. And it culminates in a unique journey for every person who visits. These early artist concept renderings show that this is going to be a truly unbelievable experience, but one of the things I’m most excited about is that every window in this place has a view of space. It will stand out among all the resorts around the globe and will make an incredible addition to Walt Disney World. And I have to tell you, we feel like this could be the start of something very, very big.”

"the story will touch every single minute of your stay"

First-look renderings give an impression of what a Star Wars resort would be like

Marvel

Disney has announced a slew of new additions for its parks worldwide

Disney has a couple of plans for its Marvel IPs. Guardians of the Galaxy is soon to be joined by Spider-Man and The Avengers at California Adventure. And, Guardian’s of the Galaxy ride Mission: BREAKOUT! will see the superheroes team up “like never before”, with a new experience to be revealed at a later date.

At Disneyland Paris, Hotel New York is getting a Marvel-themed makeover, dubbed “The Art of Marvel”.

“We’re going to create a hotel at Disneyland Paris that would make Tony Stark proud,” says Disney parks and resorts chair Bob Chapek. “It will transport our guests to the action-packed, inspiring world of superheroes including Iron Man, the Avengers and Spider-Man.”

Disney has several new Marvel experiences planned, including a Disneyland Paris hotel

photos: © MARVEL 2017 Disney

Disney has several new Marvel experiences planned, including a Disneyland Paris hotel

Pixar

Disney has announced a slew of new additions for its parks worldwide

Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios will open in summer 2018. Featuring two new themed attractions, the larger-than-life world shrinks visitors to the size of a toy, with a family coaster based on Slinky Dog.

Also in 2018, Disney California Adventure will welcome an immersive attraction, with the park’s Paradise Pier rebranded as Pixar Pier. The new-look waterfront attraction will feature IPs including The Incredibles, Inside Out and Toy Story, with characters from Pixar films populating the area and debuting during Pixar Fest – a celebration of the brand which will include a Pixar-themed fireworks display and the Pixar Play Parade.

photos: © PIXAR 2017 Disney

Pixar Pier will be located at Disney California Adventure

Mickey Mouse

Disney has announced a slew of new additions for its parks worldwide

Disney’s iconic mascot is to get his first ever ride experience when Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway comes to Hollywood Studios, replacing the existing Great Movie Ride.

Featuring a “singable theme song”, the experience will be “2.5D”, according to Disney, with a no-glasses-required approach to the 3D attraction, “turning the flat world of a colourful cartoon short into a dimensional display of amazingness.”

Based on Mickey Shorts seen on the Disney Channel, the ride will feature “surprising twists and turns, dazzling visual effects and mind-boggling transformations that happen before your very eyes.”

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is replacing the Great Movie Ride

Epcot

Disney has announced a slew of new additions for its parks worldwide

Disney has announced plans to bring Guardians of the Galaxy to Epcot in the form of a new attraction, while also bringing Pixar’s Ratatouille to the park, with a ride based on the version at Disneyland Paris.

Disney is also developing a restaurant for Epcot, which will simulate dining in outer space for a starlit experience.
“We know our guests love dining at Epcot – and the restaurants really are out of this world,” said Walt Disney Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald, speaking at D23. “Now we’re about to create one that takes that literally.”

A space-themed restaurant is in the pipeline for Epcot

And finally

A Tron rollercoaster is coming to Magic Kingdom in Florida. There are also plans for a live show theatre on Main Street, based on the 1920s Willis Wood theatre in Kansas City, where Walt Disney once lived.

Disney’s fleet of cruise liners is also expanding, with three new ships being built. With two ships currently under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard, an additional ship will be built and is scheduled to be completed in 2022.

Magic Kingdom is in line for a Tron rollercoaster, similar to the one at Shanghai Disneyland

Originally published in Attractions Management 2017 issue 3