Full details for Star Wars Launch Bay at Disney's Hollywood Studios

Nov 17, 2015 in "Star Wars Launch Bay"

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Star Wars Launch Bay concept art

Posted: Tuesday November 17, 2015 8:15am EST by WDWMAGIC Staff

Star Wars Launch Bay - they headquarters for Star Wars at Disney's Hollywood Studios opens on December 1 2015, and we've now got full details on exactly what will be on offer inside.

Star Wars Launch Bay concept art

Located in the former Magic of Disney Animation building, the experience begins in the outdoor queue area from the former Animation Tour. The walls will be lined with concept artwork from the Star Wars saga to wet your appetite before heading inside.

Inside, you'll find Star Wars meet and greets, behind-the-scenes interviews, galleries of memorabilia, Star Wars artifacts, interactive video games, and special Star Wars merchandise.

Special Character Encounters: After entering a themed atrium complete with replicas of Star Wars props, guests can journey to the dark side and encounter Star Wars characters such as Darth Vader in a 360-degree immersive area themed around the Star Destroyer, or they may choose the light side by stepping into a makeshift Rebel base and coming face to face with Star Wars characters such as the most famous co-pilot in the galaxy, Chewbacca.

Launch Bay Theater – Guests hear directly from the creative minds behind the Star Wars saga in a short video that includes exclusive interviews with the directors, writers, producers and other key movie crew members who bring the saga to life.

The Cantina – This setting, inspired by the unsavory “hives of scum and villainy” in the Star Wars galaxy, is a fun place to explore and take photos near elements of the cantina, such as a holochess table. Holochess is a game seen in Star Wars

Star Wars Game Center – Guests can play current and upcoming video games, including new Disney Infinity 3.0 content created exclusively for this location.

Themed Galleries – Special immersive galleries will be located throughout Star Wars Launch Bay.
Celebration Gallery will feature iconic ships from throughout the Star Wars saga, such as memorable ones of the Rebel Alliance and the Imperial Navy fleet.
Celebration Hallway will display large-scale replicas of Star Wars props amid scenic murals.
Preview Gallery will offer guests exclusive looks at replicas of props, artifacts and memorabilia from the latest movie in the saga, starting with Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Among the items that will be on display are costumes, ship models, droids and artwork.

Launch Bay Cargo – A unique shopping area where guests may bring home a variety of Star Wars merchandise, including original artwork and collector’s items.

Star Wars Launch Bay concept art - Chewbacca meet and greet

Star Wars Launch Bay under cosntruction

Star Wars Launch Bay is just one part of the new Star Wars themed offerings coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Season of the Force begins on January 5 2016, a new destination in Star Tours is already open, the new Jedi Training Academy opens in December, and Star Wars: Path of the Jedi will show an abridged, cinematic reel celebrating the Star Wars saga (episodes I-VII) in the former Sounds Dangerous theater.

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Sped2424Jul 22, 2019

Thus the cycle continues. And in 20 years time this new trilogy will be looked at the same.

FigmentJediJul 22, 2019

Sorry bud, the Prequels have undergone significant re-evaluation in recent years as the result of kids who grew up with and *gasp* enjoyed them becoming a louder part of the Star Wars fandom, the popularity of the Clone Wars animated series making the era more well rounded, and even some of those people who deem the Sequel Trilogy as a mistake have regretted crapping on the Prequels and began touting its merits.

larryzJul 21, 2019

If they were smart, they'd re-theme the ABC Commissary as an Imperial Dining Hall and turn it into a character dining experience with the Darths, Chewbacca, a Han Solo look-alike, and a couple of droids. Then they could call it the ... wait for it ... Star Wars LUNCH Bay.

KevinPageJul 21, 2019

Launch Bay is destined to be a Disney Junior Black box ride (if I had to take an educated guess). Something easy to change over as new shows come and old ones fade in popularity. It’s also aimed at a younger less discerning audience so the “black box” concept only makes too much sense. This way you keep Star Wars related stuff in one section of the park. RE: Star Tours, it’s always been a half baked attraction and even with the upgrade years ago it’s still preposterous: tourist vehicle can evade tie fighter and best Boba Fett and maneuver like the greatest most nimble aircraft in the galaxy? The whole concept needs a total redo for this attraction. Get rid of all prequel crap, it’s better we forget those movies ever existed. Keep the ride focused on OT and make it something logical/plausible, not what it currently is. Someone can figure out a clever way to tie the idea into GE. And for all the armchair brainiacs who seem to revel in this so called “Disney screwed SW and they blew a billion $$$”. I heard NO ONE complain prior to opening that this was a new planet, set in new trilogy universe and they’ll be nothing to do. Now that the CA GP/AP got freaked about crowds, everyone comes out of the woodwork claiming how they knew better. GE will be just fine. WDW will be packed 8/29 and even more on and after 12/05. From all reports the only negative thing you can say is stuff they can easily fix: - open ROTR - add roaming aliens/droids - find a way to add music/more sounds Ya know, stuff that any new area or land needs time to fix when the scale is so grand. I was a kid during the OT and saw all those movies in theaters with my friends and not only am I fine with GE being focused on Kylo/Rey, I applaud it whole heartedly.

mm52200Jul 21, 2019

There also just isn’t really a suitable replacements for Chewie at Launch Bay in that space. Rey will be on the new land, and there really aren’t any other resistance themed characters available to put in there. I don’t think most people realize that Luke, Leia, and Han no longer exist as a meetable Star Wars characters, they have all been retired. C-3PO would also be very hard to make happen for a daily operational meet and greets.

Tavernacle12Jul 21, 2019

My understanding was originally there was going to be more streetmosphere but due to budget cuts and a fear of destruction by guests they were cut. Fair point about Chewie, but I'll maintain that if they thought Vader was going to be more popular than Ren they would have brought him back earlier. It could also just be that Chewie is popular enough as is they just want to leave him be.

Marc Davis FanJul 19, 2019

I’ve always thought Star Tours could “stand on its own” against GE and “remain relevant” if it focused exclusively on OT/PT characters and locations. That way, you have the “old-fashioned” (but still high-quality) ride featuring the “old guard” of Darth Vader and Princess Leia, along with familiar locations like the battle of Hoth, to help offset those concerns with respect to GE. This would be valuable in DHS and in DL. The only reason I’d see them not doing this would be because they use new ride scenes to advertise each new movie (but maybe they’ll stop with that after Episode IX). And they can just go ahead and close Launch Bay. Regarding MV3D, I think putting Star Wars there or in that area (Grand Park) would “dilute” GE too much. The separateness and “reveal” of GE will require a “palate cleanser” area that’s not Star Wars. Otherwise, how will people in the general public understand/experience where “old Star Wars stuff” ends and “the planet of Batuu” begins? It would be thematically confusing and “thunder-stealing” to put Star Wars stuff right outside an immersive Star Wars land - IMHO.

TrainsOfDisneyJul 19, 2019

I wish that was really the case....

WDW ProJul 19, 2019

Muppets is about as likely to move as It's A Small World. It's Jim Henson's final performance as Kermit, and thus is sacrosanct.

jumpinjamieJul 19, 2019

They should replace Chewbacca with C3PO if Chewie is going to be in GE. Meeting C3PO during SWW was honestly the most "magical" meet and greet I have ever done.

Walt dJul 18, 2019

He won’t be there forever “

MisterPenguinJul 18, 2019

Ooooorrrrrr.... Since Kylo is meetable at GE (and shows up at the Academy), makes sense to have the Dark Side represented at Launch Bay by Vader. Maybe they should replace Chewie at LB with a Leia. Time honored tradition of a Disney princess M&G!

Chet DakotaJul 18, 2019

Chewbacca makes appearances at Disneyland GE. You would assume that he would make appearances at DHS GE also. They are not pulling Chewie from Launch Bay. Ren over Vader at LB is because Disney wants to push the ST to the masses.

iwantthescoop337Jul 18, 2019

Do you think this is also why Galaxy's Edge doesn't include streetmosphere featuring C3PO and R2D2 (yet)? Even though they are iconic Star Wars characters featured in the OT, PT, and ST?