You could say we've been waiting two long years since Disney bought Lucasfilm for this announcement. Fans today it became a reality as Disney CEO Bob Iger shocked the Disney fan community at the D23 EXPO at the end of the Walt Disney Studios Panel. Star Wars Land is officially confirmed for both Disneyland and Hollywood Studios in what Iger is calling the "largest single themed-land expansion in the history of Disney Parks & Resorts." That was just the beginning of the rock-star day as even more announcements were made during the Parks & Resort Panel that just ended a little while ago.
The largest expansion ever will be the 14-acres each on both coasts as Disney Imagineering lets you dive immersively into the world of Star Wars. It will transport guests into 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.
Iger said he was thrilled to announce the next chapter in the long history between Disney Parks and Star Wars. He continued with this, "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."
That is not the only attraction coming however as fans will get to fly on one of most recognizable ships from the movies in the Millennium Falcom into an epic Star Wars adventure on a customized secret mission. Also coming is a Mos Eisley Cantina themed restaurant that will surely put guests right into the world of Star Wars.
That wasn't all of the Star Wars news as even more details were give by head of Disney Parks and Resorts Bob Chapek and Imagineer Scott Trowbridge took the stage during the Disney Parks & Resorts Panel. This was all announced but as it appears now nobody knows when this large expansion will be completed. As Trowbridge said they are still at the very beginning stages of the project. Chapek and Trowbridge said not to worry as more Star Wars experiences will be coming to both parks as fans await the project to be completed.
These experiences will begin popping up in the parks on both coasts beginning later this year and early next year. One of the many experiences will be another update to Star Tours - The Adventure Continues as new destinations and characters will be added to both attractions from the upcoming new movie "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." The Jedi Training Academy will also be receiving an update with new characters from the Disney XD series "Star Wars Rebels," including a new villain battle.
Also opening later this year will be a Star Wars Launch Bay much like the one that was announced for Shanghai Disneyland when it opens next year. Star Wars Launch Bay will take guests into "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" with props from the upcoming film and past films. Guests will be able to meet their favorite Star Wars characters both old and new as well as taste food offerings authentic from the films. Also on the docket for the Launch Bay will be a chance for guests to try out Star Wars themed games such as soon to be released Disney Infinity 3.0 and Star Wars Battlefront which is due out later this year.
Star Wars Launch Bay will most likely be located in the old Magic of Disney Animation building in Hollywood Studios and in Tomorrowland at Disneyland.
New opening early next year will be an experience much like Star Wars Weekends except on both coasts in Star Wars Season of the Force. In the seasonal event, Tomorrowland in Disneyland , guests will explore the Star Wars galaxy with special entertainment, food offerings and Hyperspace Mountain (Space Mountain reimagined) in which guests will be taken into an X-wing Starfighter battle. At Hollywood Studios a new fireworks spectacular set to the iconic Star Wars score will dazzle guests on weekend nights.
Toy Story Land:
The expansion news for what was already big with Star Wars Land but it got even bigger as the lead creator of Disney World, Kathy Mangum took the stage after Chapek announced Toy Story Land as the second half of the expansion of Hollywood Studios. The 11-acre land will shrink guests into the size of Andy's toys and immerse them into Andy's backyard with two new attractions and the expansion of Toy Story Midway Mania.
The main attraction will be a new family-friendly roller coaster as its zips and zooms guests on a thrilling and joy-filled adventure throughout the land on the back of Slinky Dog.
The other new attraction will let guests join their favorite Green Aliens on a spin in their very own flying saucers. Not to mention the third track being added to one of many guests' favorite attractions in Toy Story Midway Mania.
Frozen Ever After and Soarin' Over the World:
Mangum stayed on stage to give a small update on Frozen in Norway which is scheduled to open May 1, 2016. While no major details were given, Mangum promised imagineers were working on our favorite characters from Frozen including showing off the Sven animatronic that will be part of the Frozen Ever After attraction.
Frozen wasn't the only thing announced for Epcot as Soarin' Over the World that was announced for Shanghai Disneyland just last month has been confirmed not only for Epcot but also California Adventure will debut it next year. The new update to the attraction will allow guests to fly over far-flung lands, natural landscapes of the world, and some of the most famous man-made wonders around the world.
Pandora - The World of Avatar:
Joe Rohde, James Cameron, and Jon Landau took the stage to elaborate how extensive this amazing land truly is. One thing it isn't just Avatar Land, its going to be called Pandora - The World of Avatar. Cameron and Landau reiterated this won't be like anything you saw in the movie as this will be the guests adventure into Pandora.
The centerpiece of the land will be AVATAR Flight of Passage as it brings guests into one of the most thrilling scenes as they soar across mountains on a banshee. "Rivers of Light" will open next year as it will be a night show like no other in any Disney Park. Guests will be treated to live music, floating lanterns, water screens, and creative animal imagery for a breathtaking affair.
Kilimanjaro Safaris will also be expanded with new species of animals (African wild dogs and hyenas) being added as the attraction becomes a new nighttime adventure. Guests will travel across the African savanna along with the orange glow of the sunset in the park beginning next spring. The glow however won't just be on the safari, the whole park at night will be a glow with the bioluminescent lights lighting up the whole park.
Iron Man Experience at Hong Kong Disneyland:
One of the last updates at panel was given on Marvel's very first attraction in Disney Parks in the Iron Man Experience that is set to open next year in 2016. The Iron Man Experience will be an epic battle between Hydra and Iron Man. The experience will begin at Stark Industries as guests board the Iron Wing and fly through Hong Kong Star Tower where they end with a fight with Hydra. If you want a comparison the clip of the attraction looked very much like the Transformers ride at Universal Studios.
That's it for the major updates and expansions throughout Disney Parks & Resorts. A surprise was definitely that we didn't get the name change for Hollywood Studios like many including myself predicted. It is however a step in the right direction for Hollywood Studios with this major re-imagination of the whole park. I was disappointed that we didn't get any set completion date for Star Wars Land or even Toy Story Land and although it can be assumed where both lands will be placed that wasn't announced either. Nor were any additional closings inside both parks in Disneyland and Hollywood Studios.
Are you satisfied with the announcements made at the Parks & Resorts Panel and D23 EXPO as a whole? What are your thoughts?
