The new Star Wars land and a similar attraction opening Aug. 29 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando mark the largest-ever expansion for parks run by Walt Disney Co. And while the company’s latest “Star Wars” movies have stumbled a bit, there’s every indication fans will turn out for the new attractions. Reservations for the first three weeks at Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland were gone in an hour and 45 minutes.
The resorts, Disney’s largest business by revenue, have been growing in importance for the Burbank, California-based entertainment giant as its most profitable division — TV — struggles with declining viewership. The company invested $3.88 billion in its parks last year, a 22% increase from the prior year. Attendance rose 4%, while guest spending was up even more at 6%, in part due to rising ticket prices and room rates.
Disney has introduced a pricing system based on projected demand, with single-day admissions ranging from $104 on slow days to $149 when crowds are biggest, making a day at the park comparable to orchestra seats at a Broadway show or lift tickets at a Colorado ski resort. With Galaxy’s Edge, the company unveiled a reservation system that will be in place until June 23.
“I am 50 years old, but still as excited to go as when I was a kid.”
Galaxy’s Edge will have elements for fans of all ages. There will be a simulated ride on the Millennium Falcon spaceship, and later in the year Disney will open an interactive attraction that mimics a battle between the First Order and the resistance.
Between rides, guests will be able to wander through a trading post on a fictional planet and interact with Disney employees in Star Wars costumes. The company has barred strollers above a certain size in the parks because of the anticipated crowds.
In a first for Disneyland, Oga’s Cantina in Galaxy’s Edge will serve alcohol, including a Jedi Mind Trick craft cocktail and Bad Motivator IPA, a sign the company recognizes the importance of adult visitors. At Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities, an animatronic shopkeeper will interact guests looking to pick up faux treasures from another galaxy, such as rare kyber crystals. There’s even a store for interstellar bling, the Jewels of Bith.
Some fans are planning multiple excursions to Galaxy’s Edge. Aaron Pulkka, a former Disney park designer and now head of production at the interactive entertainment company Two Bit Circus, plans two trips this year, one next month with his 24-year-old daughter and another weeklong visit in the fall with friends from the East Coast.
“I am 50 years old, but still as excited to go as when I was a kid,” he said.
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.