Lightsaber — The E Ticket — Snipes n Snarfblatts

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge just got even better if this is what this is for. Ever since the announcement of a Star Wars themed land the question on everyone's mind has been lightsabers? They've talked AR, & it looks like they're getting ready to make that happen. This sounds amazing, technical, but amazing nonetheless. WDW News Today reported via blooloop.com, Disney has filed a patent for an AR system to make your laser sword dreams a reality. Actual wording, "relates to systems & methods for augmenting an appearance of a hilt to simulate a bladed weapon." This doesn't describe the intended use. So while could be walking around like a Jedi in Batuu, this could also be for a console or mobile game. I doubt it though, the scale of this thing is pretty intense. There will be a physical hilt containing motion & orientation sensors to determine where the hilt is. On a display (headset, phone, visor) you will see the overlay of "a broadsword, an axe, or a katana." That cover any other uses, but we all know what this is for. Especially when you look at the hilts & notice a dual-blade, "Darth Maul" option. You'll have control over type, size, shape, & color as well, with other users seeing what you see. Also in the patent is a speaker & haptic generator for sound & vibration. The blades will interact with real objects both static (doors, walls, rocks) or dynamic (moving doors & targets), as well as virtual objects both static (force field, another virtual blade, etc.) or dynamic (moving virtual blade, virtual blaster fire, virtual moving robot, etc.). Interaction with objects will trigger visual, audio, & tactile effects. If that doesn't sound like the most awesome thing you've ever heard, one diagram shows deflecting blaster fire with a flash occurring, & two lightsabers flashing as they connect eluding to dueling. The patent even goes as far to describe deflecting a blaster bolt back at the stormtrooper that fired, triggering audio of being hit. This is amazing on so many levels. I can't believe this is a real thing that is actually about to happen. So excited. What do y'all think? Wanna get your hands on a lightsaber? Put it in the comments like & share.

LA Times reports that Bob Iger, CEO of Walt Disney Company, while speaking at a USC Marshall and Annenberg event in Santa Monica on Thursday said no way to virtual reality. A lot of parks in the states are using virtual reality to soup up all their old roller coasters that no one's really riding anymore. Much like myself, he favors an augmented reality over a virtual reality opening your view to the world where you can look around yourself, & not be closed off to what's around you. He went on to enlighten us on the fact that he spends each Tuesday afternoon at a Disney engineering lab sporting a head worn device that enables him to hold a lightsaber and duel away with a stormtrooper. I know this would be a personal dream of myself. Yet it also makes me wonder how he gets anything else done with the abilty to do this? The only other details was his want to make the device lighter & smaller. Stupid question, but would you want to fight stormtroopers with lightsabers in AR?

Jun 18, 2019

Michelle Rejwan Now Senior VP Live Action Development And Production For Lucasfilm

Hollywood Reporter reports Michelle Rejwan is now the Senior VP of Live Action Development & Production. She will oversee new feature films as well Disney+ series while still producing with president Kathleen Kennedy. That seems like a hefty responsibility to drop on someone who's previous credits at Lucasfilm are producing The Force Awakens & The Rise of Skywalker. Kennedy really sees something in her though, having “seen first-hand her skills collaborating with writers and directors, and I've been incredibly impressed with her creative skills and her ability to manage the complexity surrounding these massive projects.” Can she be the Feige of Star Wars? Time will tell. After the hate Kennedy got from the last installment, which I loved by the way, one could think this is just to give her a scapegoat if things don't go as well over the next few projects. Curious to see how much influence this winds up having as a whole. What do y'all think? Trust in Kennedy? Or do you think maybe a more vetted choice would have been better? Put it in the comments, like, & share.

May 21, 2019

Disney Reveals Name of Tokyo DisneySea's 8th Port

After breaking ground in what is to become Tokyo DisneySea's 8th port, we now have its official name. Fantasy Springs will be the title, but that's not all Dismey released on the subject. They also released some beautiful day & night concept art depicting the look of the new lands. Oriental land is investing 250 Billion Yen on this project that will feature lands themed to Frozen, Tangled, & Peter Pan. Frozen's land of post film Arendelle will feature an attraction that tells the story of Elsa and her beloved sister, Anna. Sounding like the familiar Epcot ride, suests will board boats and experience the sisters’ heartfelt journey, enjoying songs from the film, and encountering surprising thrills. There will also be a restaurant set inside the beautiful Arendelle Castle. Tangled's land will naturally feature Rapunzel’s tower rising above the forest. It will also include an boat attraction where guests will board gondolas for a romantic boat tour of Rapunzel’s “Best Day Ever” as she journeys with Flynn to the lantern festival. Flickering lanterns illuminate the attraction’s climactic scene while Rapunzel and Flynn sing an iconic song from the film. The pand will also feature a restaurant, inspired by the hideout of the band of thugs who appeared in the film in the "I've Got A Dream" sequence. Neverland will also be home to two attractions and a restaurant. Featuring landmarks including verdant mountains, Captain Hook’s pirate ship and Skull Rock. One attraction will fly over the jungles of Neverland into a battle with Captain Hook and his crew of pirates to rescue Wendy’s younger brother, John, who has been kidnapped by Captain Hook and his pirates. You'll board boats and follow the Lost Boys down a river until Tinker Bell sprinkles the boats with pixie dust, & you take off flying through Neverland on an adventure that featuring iconic music and dynamic 3D imagery of the characters from the film. The second attraction immerses us in the oversized world of Pixie Hollow, while the restaurant is inspired by the Lost Boys and their hideout. There will also be a new Disney Hllyel in the park. Themed to Disney fantasy, it will rise above and around the magical springs that serve as the core of the new themed port’s story. Offering 475 deluxe-type and luxury-type guest rooms, this park facing hotel will also feature a merchandise shop that helps share the story of the magical springs. One day I'll make it out here to see all the amazingly beautiful things TokyoSea has to offer. Luckily, I have one more reason to postpone that adventure until this amazing new addition is done.