Last year at Disney’s D23 Expo, CEO Bob Iger confirmed a long-running rumor- and made dreams come true for millions of fans – when he confirmed that a massive 14-acre expansion based on the Star Wars universe would be coming to Disneyland and the Walt Disney World resort.
Described as a “fully immersive experience” with “nothing out of character or straying from mythology,” the new Star Wars-themed lands are currently under construction, and thanks to a new piece of concept art, we have an idea how the finished product might look.
This image was released by the official Disney Parks Blog after it apparently began appearing on the fence along Big Thunder Trail in the Frontierland area of Disneyland, which will be one of the future entry points when the new expansion is completed. While it’s not a detailed map of every proposed attraction, it does a great job of conveying the overall aesthetic.
Nestled between towering spires of rock, this thriving port contains a seemingly familiar architecture of markets, landing zones and buildings. Look closely and you may find hints of some of the thrilling experiences that are coming – like the Millennium Falcon peeking out of one of the cargo bays, marking the location where guests will get the opportunity to pilot the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy.
We’ve known since last year that Star Wars Land (or whatever the official name turns out to be) will feature two signature attractions: one which will place guests in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance, and another that puts them behind the controls of the Millennium Falcon as it embarks on a secret mission.
Both of these sound great, but I’m more curious about the shops and restaurants that will be featured as part of this endeavor, and whether or not the Disney parks can make good on their promise of a fully immersive and authentic Star Wars experience. Of course, we’re still probably several years from opening day, so it’s not like we’ll be finding out anytime soon.
We’ll keep you posted as work on the Star Wars expansions at Disneyland and Walt Disney World continue.