2019 is set to be the biggest year ever for the Star Wars franchise, with a variety of projects coming to screens big and small, not to mention the many tie-in comics and novels on the way. But if you’re looking for a truly immersive means of exploring this ever-expanding fictional world, the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge theme park expansion could well be worth the trip.
The new region opens in Disneyland in Anaheim, California this summer, before coming to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida in the fall, and has been described by Disney as the “largest single-land expansion ever.” As it stands, there are two new rides set to debut as part of this area.
First off, there’s the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, which allows you to pilot Han Solo’s ship for an experience that’s slightly different every time. On top of that, you have Rise of the Resistance, for which visitors can step into the role of a Resistance fighter and even face the villainous Kylo Ren.
The entire Galaxy’s Edge park is also said to be canon to the franchise. The area is set on the planet of Batuu, which once served as a bustling trading port but is now the territory of smugglers and Resistance fighters. The region includes a Mos Eisley-style hub named Black Spire Outpost, where a spaceport and market can be explored to the sound of new music composed by John Williams.
What’s more, the region will reportedly use groundbreaking story-building technology that gives visitors the option of being recognized throughout the park based on the events of their Smuggler’s Run flight. You can also expect to see plenty of animatronic characters, a cantina that serves non-dairy blue milk, and a hotel that’s designed like a starship.
Evidently, Disney is going all out with this project, and it sounds like Star Wars fans will turning up in droves for the experience when the expansion opens later this year.
