Major announcements were shared at D23Expo including many updates to Disney Parks, Resorts, and Cruise Lines. When Chairman Bob Chapek broke news about a Disney Star Wars Hotel the audience went crazy (and Twitter too)! Today I’m sharing first images of the Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge land and Star Wars Hotel, plus several more exciting Disney Parks updates coming soon!
I was invited as media to cover this event. All opinions are my own.
Disney Star Wars Hotel at Walt Disney World
Check out this short video below for first images of the hotel, and an overview concept of Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge.
More Disney Hotel News
Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel at Disneyland Paris will transport guests to the action-packed world of Super Heroes, including Iron Man, The Avengers, Spider-Man and more. Guests will be able to explore the Marvel Universe through its comic art, films, Super Hero costumes and more, displayed in the style of a contemporary art gallery.
Copper Creek Villas & Cabins, which opened this week is located at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. I had the opportunity to visit the resort prior to it’s opening. It’s is beautifully done! Chapek also announced the proposed 15th Disney Vacation Club property, Disney Riviera Resort, coming to Walt Disney World Resort near Epcot.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
Star Wars is coming to life in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the newly announced name for the Star Wars-themed lands. Both Disneyland and Walt Disney World will feature Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge lands! Chapek shared exciting new details and a glimpse inside the two anchor attractions, including one that puts guests right in the middle of a battle between the First Order and the Resistance where guests will feel like they are inside a hangar bay on a Star Destroyer.
Guests will also have the chance to fly the Millennium Falcon, where each guest is critical to the mission’s success. Chapek also revealed many characters that guests will meet, including BB-8, Chewbacca, Rex and Kylo Ren. Representing the largest single-themed land expansion at 14 acres each, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will open in 2019, with the first land debuting at Disneyland Park in Anaheim.
Disney/Image Group LA
Below you’ll find an artist rendering of the Star Wars lands, and a real-life display that was featured at #D23Expo.
Mickie and Minnie Themed Updates
The first-ever Mickey-themed ride-through attraction, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, will come to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. With a new original story and lovable attraction theme song, this new state-of-the-art ride-through attraction will take guests on a journey inside the wacky and unpredictable world of Disney Channel’s Emmy Award-winning “Mickey Mouse” cartoon shorts using new technologies that transform the flat cartoon world into an incredible dimensional experience.
Minnie Van Transportation
An all-new Minnie Van service will provide a point-to-point transportation service in a way that only Disney can do, giving guests an even more seamless resort vacation from start to finish.
Walt Disney World Disney Skyliner
Additionally, a whole new transportation system called Disney Skyliner will give guests a birds-eye view of Walt Disney World Resort. This brand new system will connect Disney’s Art of Animation, Pop Century and Caribbean Beach resorts, as well as the proposed new Disney Riviera Resort, with Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the International Gateway at Epcot. Below you’ll find the first images of the Disney Skyliner and connections to the resorts and parks.
Pixar News
In addition to announcing the summer 2018 opening of Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Chapek was joined by Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios John Lasseter to unveil plans for Pixar Pier at Disney California Adventure, where the pier will take on a brand new look as more favorite Pixar characters and stories come to life, from The Incredibles, to Inside Out to even more Toy Story. Chapek also announced there is more Pixar in store during Pixar Fest at Disneyland Resort. Starting in 2018, this limited-time offering will include a new fireworks spectacular as well as special characters and entertainment moments.
Living just outside of Orlando, we’ve been patiently waiting for the opening of Toy Story Land. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin and Toy Story Midway Mania are two of our favorite Walt Disney World rides, so we couldn’t be more thrilled to see what Disney expands on for the Toy Story Land!
Epcot Transformations and Updates
Chapek announced exciting plans across Epcot to realize the original vision of the park while making it more timeless and relevant than ever before. Patterned after the number one family attraction at Disneyland Paris, Ratatouille will be added in an all-new space in the France pavilion at World Showcase.
Epcot will also see the addition of a brand new E-ticket attraction based on the rockin’ and action-packed world of Guardians of the Galaxy, the next step in how guests can encounter these characters at Walt Disney World Resort. In Future World, a new Green Mission at Mission: SPACE will take guests on a stunning tour around the Earth, and an updated Orange Mission will make the trip to Mars even more spectacular. Adjacent to Mission: Space will be a new restaurant that will invite guests to travel high above the earth for an unforgettable dining experience.
Tron-Themed Attraction
The highest rated attraction at Shanghai Disneyland is coming to Walt Disney World Resort. A thrilling, Tron-themed attraction will be added in a new area near Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom.
Disney Cruise Line News
Disney/Image Group LA
Chapek surprised the crowd by announcing that Disney Cruise Line will add one more ship in its expansion to take family cruise vacations to a whole new level. Joining the other two new ships that were announced just last year, all three ships will be powered by one of the cleanest-burning fuels available, liquefied natural gas. When all three ships are completed by 2023, Disney Cruise Line will have nearly doubled the size of the fleet.
Additionally, it was mentioned that a Beauty and the Beast live show is coming to the Disney Dream Ship!
Talk about mind-blowing announcements! Being lucky enough to live in the Orlando area has it’s perks. We are so looking forward to the Disney Star Wars Hotel and other Walt Disney World updates. It’s going to be amazing!
What are you most excited for?
You Are Also Going to Love:
Jessica W. says
The Star Wars hotel sounds awesome! A luxury resort inside an authentic Star Wars environment…wow!
Tami Vollenweider says
I think the new Disney Skyliner would be pretty neat! I’m hoping to in a couple of years with my grand children,and I know they would love it!
Sherry Bult says
Wow, this is awesome so many new things to see! Now I want to go back again! Thank you for sharing all of this.