New Star Wars themed resort to be connected to upcoming Star Wars Galaxy's Edge at DHS

Source:  https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2018/05/update-on-the-star-wars-immersive-resort-planned-for-walt-disney-world-resort/.

The official Disney Parks Blog has provided an updated on the planned Star Wars immersive resort coming to Walt Disney World.  The new resort, already under development, will be constructed adjacent to Disney Hollywood Studios on the southern side of the park, which is where the new Star Wars Galaxy's Edge land already is under construction and slated to open in late 2019.

Based on the description given in the linked blog post above, it appears the new resort could be located somewhere in the shaded orange area on the photo below.

Courtesy Google Maps

   So far, there's no specific opening date, though it seems logical that the resort will be open in time for the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World in 2021.

Given that this is planned to be a very immersive resort, it's quite likely that the room rate for this resort will be higher than anything we've ever seen for a Walt Disney World resort.  One could almost consider this the first of a potential new class of resorts - the Ultra or Premium resorts.

It will be interesting to see how this new kind of resort goes over with guests.  Based on the current (huge) demand at Walt Disney World, I have good feeling about this.

D23 news: Star Wars lands at Disneyland and Walt Disney World to be called, "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge" new Star Wars-themed hotel announced

Image copyright Disney, All Rights Reserved.

Fans at the D23 Expo were elated to hear their Star Wars stories will come to life in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, the newly announced name for the Star Wars-themed lands. Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman, Bob 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, then at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando.

Image copyright Disney, All Rights Reserved.

Among the announcements were projects that infuse even more exciting experiences for resort hotel guests in ways that are only possible at Disney. To the delight of fans, Chapek confirmed ambitious plans to create the most experiential concept ever in an immersive Star Wars-themed hotel at Walt Disney World Resort. Dedicated entirely to the galaxy of Star Wars, it will be a one-of-a-kind experience where a luxury resort meets a multi-day adventure in a galaxy far, far away.  Details have yet to be announced about the specific location of this resort.

It's official! The Force to expand at Disneyland and Walt Disney World

Image courtesy Disney.  All rights reserved.

Image courtesy Disney.  All rights reserved.

Image courtesy Disney.  All rights reserved.

Today at the D23 EXPO 2015, The Walt Disney Company Chairman and CEO Bob Iger announced to an audience of more than 7,500 fans that Star Wars-themed lands will be coming to Disneyland park in Anaheim, Calif., and Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla., allowing Star Wars fans to step into the stories from a galaxy far, far away.

Ambitious plans to bring Star Wars to life in the two parks include creating Disney’s largest single themed land expansions ever at 14 acres each, transporting guests to 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.

“I am thrilled to announce the next chapter in the long and exciting history between Disney Parks and Star Wars,” said Iger. “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.”

These authentic lands will have two signature attractions. Along with the thrilling battle experience, another attraction puts guests behind the controls of one of the most recognizable ships in the galaxy, the Millennium Falcon, as they take on a customized secret mission.

Iger also shared concept images of the Star Wars-themed lands, giving fans a glimpse at what is to come for Disney parks.

The partnership between Disney and Lucasfilm dates back to 1987, when the successful Star Tours attraction, inspired by George Lucas’s legendary Star Wars film series, opened at Disneyland. The attraction was then redesigned, emerging as “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue” in 2011 and featuring more than 50 different story outcomes and the possibility to visit five different planets.

For 60 years, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts has been delighting millions of people with fantastic storytelling, exceptional entertainment and extraordinary experiences, creating places where guests can make life-long memories with their friends and families. This announcement marks an unprecedented time of growth with exciting developments happening around the world – from Disneyland Resort’s Diamond Celebration to the anticipated opening of Shanghai Disney Resort in China.

Rumor Mill: Making way for Star Wars Land? There's plenty of room

Map courtesy Bing

With the announcement that the American Idol Experience at Disney Hollywood Studios is closing and with reports that the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular may be coming to an end soon, the oft-discussed rumor that Disney is making room for a new Star Wars Land seems to be more and more plausible.

So I thought I'd have a little fun and take a look at what real estate would be available for a new Star Wars Land if Indy did close along with Idol, Sounds Dangerous and the Backlot Express and how, when combined with the existing Star Tours area, that space might compare with the space Disney carved out to create Cars Land at Disney California Adventure.

As the map above shows, if the areas in green were to be closed and re-purposed for Star Wars Land, it would create a space that could potentially be about 75% of the space that made available for Cars Land.  I created this map by using Bing and setting the scale to 100 feet to get an aerial image for both California Adventure and Hollywood Studios.  By using the same scale, we could make a reasonable comparison of the two potential spaces as noted by the yellow line.

Based on this analysis, it appears that Disney would have a decent amount of space to put in a good E-ticket attraction while also re-imagining the Backlot Express into some sort of Star Wars themed dining experience.

But let's keep one thing in mind:  how did Disney make room for Cars Land at California Adventure?  They used space that was originally a parking lot.  Could the same be true here?  You bet!

Map courtesy Bing

Just to the East of the Indiana Jones/Backlot Express/Star Tours area are some backstage areas and then the gigantic Television parking lot.  Even if Disney uses a portion of the Television parking lot for Star Wars Land, there is an incredible amount of potential space available for some sort of expansion. 

Oh and don't worry about parking, there's still two other huge lots that are available (Film and Music), and Disney could always expand those two lots or build more to the East.

With three Star Wars movies in the works, it seems like a no-brainer that LucasFilms and Disney are (or should be) working on a Star Wars Land.  I'll even go out on a limb now and say that Disney will make some sort of Star Wars-related announcement at the 2015 D23 Expo, possibly to announce Star Wars Land.

Let's just hope that this rumor is coming true!  May the Force be with us all!