Disney teases Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Chicago celebration
With only a few months before Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens on both coasts, Disney is trickling out details of what the new land will look like, and on Saturday released images of everything from its animatronics to X-Wing fighters.
The new images and video were shared with the Star Wars devotees during a celebration in Chicago that was live streamed on the Disney parks blog.
Disneyland’s land debuts May 31, while Orlando’s at Hollywood Studios arrives Aug. 29.
The legendary voice of Frank Oz will return to voice the character of Yoda who will appear at the land, Disney imagineers said during Saturday’s panel. A spokeswoman said Disney will share later where exactly Yoda will be in the land.
Disney revealed video of Hondo Ohnaka, the second most advanced animatronic that Disney has ever built.
Ohnaka, an animated character in the Star Wars universe, gives visitors instructions about flying the Millennium Falcon before the Smuggler’s Run ride begins.
“I need transport flight this crews to valuable is merchandise across the galaxy,” the animatronic says.
Star Wars fans can also hear space-themed pop music that will play in Olga’s Cantina, the bar at the land. Coca-Cola also released images of soda cans, shaped like the BB-8 droid, that will be on sale there.
Galaxy’s Edge takes place on the planet Batuu, a new land in the Star Wars universe that’s meant to be a place full of shady characters and smugglers as well as alien proprietors selling goods in spaces reminiscent of Moroccan markets.
Disney plans to capitalize on the Star Wars franchise by selling personalized lightsabers and droids, vegan-friendly green and blue milk and costumes worn from Princess Leia to the members of the evil First Order.
On opening day, only Smuggler’s Run, the ride where visitors take command of the Millennium Falcon, will be operational.
The second attraction called Rise of the Resistance — the most ambitious one Disney has ever built, said Bob Chapek, chairman of Disney parks in February — will open sometime later in 2019.