Disney Will Add Star Wars Themed Lands to California and Florida Theme Parks
The 14-acre expansion will feature battles and the Millennium Falcon
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/accounts/headshot/erin.png)
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/d6/c6/d6c6f951-f0f6-48e0-a626-6e091f13c703/42-26953030.jpg)
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, Disney decided to take its Star Wars franchise to new heights. Well, it depends on what you consider “long” — in 2012 the giant media company bought bought Lucasfilm for $4 billion. And this weekend Disney announced its newest plans for a set of Star Wars themed lands at its Anaheim and Orlando theme parks, writes The Los Angeles Times’ Josh Rottenberg.
Rottenberg reports that Disney, plans to create new, 14-acre worlds at both Disneyland and Disney World, which will boast an “immersive environment evoking the franchise’s universe."
In a release, Disney announced that the new parks will contain “thrilling battle experiences” and a ride that puts guests behind the helm of the Millennium Falcon. Rottenberg adds that guests can find refreshment at an alien cantina, too — and that the proposed scale of the attraction is turning plenty of heads.
The announcement drew dismay from some Disney fans who worried that the attraction would replace Tomorrowland, the Disney parks’ take on the world of the future. But purists and people who are just not that into Luke, Leia and Ewoks needn’t worry: Despite questions about what’s next for Tomorrowland, it doesn’t seem that the parks will do away with the world of tomorrow or give it a Star Wars-themed redo. In the world of the future, it seems there’s plenty of room for both retro-futurism and the Magic Kingdom’s new cash cow.
/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/accounts/headshot/erin.png)