Star Wars themed land announced for Disney's Hollywood Studios

Aug 15, 2015 in "Disney's Hollywood Studios"

Star Wars themed land concept art
Posted: Saturday August 15, 2015 3:49pm EDT by WDWMAGIC Staff

Star Wars land is coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios featuring two signature attractions, including the ability to take the controls of one of the most recognizable ships in the galaxy, the Millennium Falcon, on a customized secret mission, and an epic Star Wars adventure that puts guests in the middle of a climactic battle.

Today at the D23 EXPO 2015, The Walt Disney Company Chairman and CEO Bob Iger announced to an audience of more than 7,500 fans that Star Wars-themed lands will be coming to Disneyland park in Anaheim, Calif., and Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla., allowing Star Wars fans to step into the stories from a galaxy far, far away.

Ambitious plans to bring Star Wars to life in the two parks include creating Disney’s largest single themed land expansions ever at 14 acres each, transporting guests to a never-before-seen planet, a remote trading port and one of the last stops before wild space where Star Wars characters and their stories come to life.

“I am thrilled to announce the next chapter in the long and exciting history between Disney Parks and Star Wars,” said Iger. “We are creating a jaw-dropping new world that represents our largest single themed land expansion ever. These new lands at Disneyland and Walt Disney World will transport guests to a whole new Star Wars planet, including an epic Star Wars adventure that puts you in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance.”

These authentic lands will have two signature attractions. Along with the thrilling battle experience, another attraction puts guests behind the controls of one of the most recognizable ships in the galaxy, the Millennium Falcon, as they take on a customized secret mission.

Iger also shared concept images of the Star Wars-themed lands, giving fans a glimpse at what is to come for Disney parks.

The partnership between Disney and Lucasfilm dates back to 1987, when the successful Star Tours attraction, inspired by George Lucas’s legendary Star Wars film series, opened at Disneyland. The attraction was then redesigned, emerging as “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue” in 2011 and featuring more than 50 different story outcomes and the possibility to visit five different planets.

No timeline has yet been given for the completion of the project.

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DCBakerFeb 24, 2024

It appears Walt Disney World has added a new Disney Visa 10% discount for Savi's Workshop.

MisterPenguinFeb 16, 2024

That's a problem with some one-IP lands. If your E-Ticket anchor runs through 1,500 PPH, then 1,500 PPH are traipsing through the land. The land needs as much, if not more capacity than the ride. We see this with Ratatouille plaza and TSL. The ride(s) bring more people into the land that it can comfortably handle. You need the kind of open space that a SWL provides.

Basil of Baker StreetFeb 16, 2024

Not to derail this thread but my only complaint with both Potter lands is they are "tight". If it was up to me I would expand USO Potter thru FF or ideally into MIB and IOA all the way to Sinbad and Poseidon's Fury. Potter is still strong all these years later.

DisneyDodoFeb 15, 2024

It’s weird that they’re calling the land MoM and not Place Cachèe. I understand that it’s a more marketable name, but it doesn’t actually reflect what the land is supposed to represent. It only pertains to the ride, which takes place in a different country.

yensidtlaw1969Feb 14, 2024

I'd heard Portkey rather than Floo - but yes, sounds like The Great Hall dining experience is finally coming, just not in the way most expected.

BocabearFeb 14, 2024

THAT!! Yes...there is just something that doesn't click...Perhaps if they had used the original trilogy characters....Maybe if the location was recognizable... If the land was more kinetic somehow...If it had a little mor whimsy... But while I think Rise is fantastic when fully working, the rest of the land just doesn't seem to inspire...

RoysCabinFeb 14, 2024

Finally experiencing it, but I admittedly didn't get to spend a ton of time. Still, wasn't super enthused; I'm not the biggest fan of these "mini-lands" that are centered around IPs to begin with, but I think my lack of feelings for the sequel trilogy leave me feeling kind of cold with it. It's not like it's bad, but I don't really feel like spending a ton of time there to do two rides I found mostly OK to pretty good, and then otherwise shopping or having a cantina drink. Said it in the Rise thread, but to echo it here: it's that feeling that Disney wanted to "beat Potter", but they never realized what made that whole thing work so well for Universal. I've spent a couple years saying that what makes Potter tick is being based off a property that has aspects fans like that can appeal to all five senses, since it stems from a book series where descriptions of sights/sounds/smells/tastes/etc. are so vital, and it's based around a few very recognizable and fleshed-out physical locations that a theme park can really go wild with, since if you really nail those locations fans will go nuts. Star Wars...just isn't that. It's not about specific locations (unless you want to count "swamp planet" or "cloud planet" as locations), it doesn't try to appeal to every sense with distinctive scents and foods people will want to experience for themselves, it's a purely cinematic and thus visuals-based series yet Disney built a land that doesn't even try to capitalize on what few distinctive locations the series *does* have (e.g. the Mos Eisley cantina), so, well...it had a lot of work put into it, but it just doesn't click beyond being "ok" for me.

MagicHappens1971Feb 11, 2024

Ehh. I get it and I’m fine with it and wish (as you mentioned) that Galaxy’s Edge took similar narrative liberties. I just think it’s a little wishy washy

Casper GutmanFeb 11, 2024

From the most reliable sources, it will be the park’s first expansion and may begin construction before the park even opens. The Floo Network fixes narrative issues (kind of).

MagicHappens1971Feb 11, 2024

Is this true? There’s no way Rowling is allowing that.

Casper GutmanFeb 11, 2024

The Hogwarts dining hall is going to be added to EU a year or two after opening. EU Potter is pretty incoherent… and I don’t care. Wizarding Paris is a cool, unique, exciting setting and the ride exploits the characters and time periods people actually care about. There’s a balancing act between “coherently canonical” and “what works.” I wish SWL was more like EU Potter. I do wish the new land had a family dark ride based on the fantastic beasts - I think that would make the land’s balance darn near perfect.

UNCgolfFeb 07, 2024

The Hogwarts at IoA is a bit weird, in that it really looks like it's supposed a bit off in the distance even when you're entering FJ (which makes sense from an IP perspective because it is supposed to be off in the distance from Hogsmeade). It already requires some suspension of disbelief that you're suddenly inside the castle when you're in the FJ queue because there's nothing to actually get you there from Hogsmeade. Regardless, even if it would require some fudging because of what they did at IoA, Hogwarts is by far the most iconic setting in the franchise and it seems a bit crazy that it's not going to be used more significantly at any of the parks.

PurduevianFeb 07, 2024

That kinda feels like putting a Cinderella castle/ride in the Italy pavilion at EPCOT because the castle is just a restaurant and a walk though. Hogwarts is very clearly at IOA. Now if they used something like floo powder to get you inside of Hogwarts with a different exterior, I wouldn't have a problem as long as the exterior was not something from the other 2 lands.

UNCgolfFeb 07, 2024

It should have been Hogwarts, since Hogwarts doesn't really feature at IoA except as a facade and queue. But it's possible JK Rowling wouldn't allow it. Who knows.