Disneyland Gives A Look At Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run In Action

I've still got awhile to wait before Galaxy's Edge opens in Hollywood Studios, & I get to find myself behind the controls of the Millennium Falcon. Until then though, Disneyland just put out this cool little video of what to expect from queue to actual ride. This attraction has a lot of layers to it. From the initial intro to the mission, to the waiting dock of the Falcon's inside designed with implicit attention to detail, all the way to the cockpit where you actually pilot the attraction. Which, by the way, I've completely made up my mind is the only way to go, pilot or co-pilot. This looks absolutely amazing. I was more excited about the actual land than I was this opening attraction. Now however, I'd have to say my excitement level is about even for both. How bout y'all? Who's made it to the Land already, & who can't wait for Hollywood Studios to take a chance at piloting the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy? Put it in the comments, like, & share.

"Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge" Dedication Ceremony Gives Amazing First Look

Disney has dropped two amazing videos for the opening of their new addition to Disneyland, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. One is the live stream of the dedication, the other is a montage from the first families allowed in. The best part about both of these hands down is the in the trenches look of what to expect when you get there. Not just new shots of the land either. A full run-through, complete with looks at the food & merchandise. Even a small sample of some lightsaber building. This was more of a teaser trailer for me, as I have to wait until August 31st before I get to visit Batuu in Hollywood Studios when it opens. This has definitely got my anticipation level ramped up though. All kinds of surprise stars pop in for the dedication. Make sure to check it out. Amazing vid! Especially if you're a Star Wars fan! The second video on the list isn't as exciting as the dedication ceremony, but it's still cool to get some more looks at the park. A few families who've had Star Wars touch their lives got to be the first to experience the land, & this one follows their journeys. Both together, these have me all kinds of hype for Hollywood Studios' opening. I'll probably be watching these again before that day comes.

Disney Parks Live For Hollywood Studio's 30th Anniversary Celebration

I had a really big choice this week. Actual monetary work was interfering with my Disney life. Putting me in between a rock and a hard place. I could've either made it to today's 30th Anniversary Celebration of Hollywood Studios, or made it to Hollywood Studios for May the 4th's Star Wars Day. Obviously me being me, I chose the latter of the two. So I had to live vicariously through Disney Parks Live for the Celebration's parade & wait till Saturday to see the new Wonderful World of Animation Fireworks & Projection show. Needles to say, that choice left me a little bummed. After seeing this though, I think I really made the right choice. Though I'll miss out on my 30th Anniversary button, I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything I can't see Saturday. This 30th Anniversary parade was a little disappointing. Not only was the commentary as annoying as the worst Macy's Day Parade coverage, a lot of what could've been big payoffs were very anti-climactic. I thought we were gonna see something really cool with Indiana Jones. Only to be very dissatisfied with the final payoff. Same thing goes for the big Galaxy's Edge reveal to a very not enthused Chewy firing his bowcaster. No Droids, no Kylo, no Boba Fett, no Phasma. This whole thing felt like a lot of missed opportunities. For that matter, it felt like it was thrown together today. The only success for ke out of this went to Toy Story. They stole the show in my opinion. At least the speech at the end & shout out to the cast was more entertaining than the commentary. I definitely know I made the right choice on this one. May the 4th be with me. On a bright note however, I do really like the new logo for Hollywood Studios. What do y'all think? Did y'all see something I didn't? Put it in the comments, like, & share.

The Food Of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

Three things I immediately noticed when D23 released all their pics & descriptions of the food. One, I immediately got a Satuli's Canteen from Pandora vibe. Second, it seems there won't be a traditional sit down restaurant, which is A-Ok with me. And third, even a galaxy far, far away has tacos! Here's the full rundown. Docking Bay 7 Food & Cargo, owned by Chef Strono "Cookie" Tuggs, will feature Braised Shaak Roast, featuring beef pot roast with cavatelli pasta, kale, and mushrooms; the Fried Endorian Tip-Yip, a decadent chicken dish with roasted vegetable mash and herb gravy; the Felucian Garden Spread, a plant-based kefta “meatball” dish with herb hummus and tomato-cucumber relish with pita bread; the Ithorian Garden Loaf, a plant-based “meatloaf” dish served with roasted vegetable mash, seasonal vegetables, and mushroom sauce; the Smoked Kaadu Ribs, featuring smoked country sticky pork ribs with blueberry corn muffin and cabbage slaw; the Oven-roasted Burra Fish, featuring Dijon-crusted sustainable fish with mixed greens, roasted vegetables, quinoa, and pumpkin seeds with a creamy green curry ranch dressing; the Oven-roasted Tip Yip, featuring roasted chicken with mixed greens, roasted vegetables, quinoa, and pumpkin seeds with a creamy green curry ranch dressing; and the Yobshrimp Noodle Salad, a marinated noodle salad with chilled shrimp. Dessert options include a raspberry crème puff with passion fruit mousse, and chocolate cake with white chocolate mouse and coffee custard. With two children’s menu options: fried chicken with macaroni and cheese; and chilled shrimp with vegetables and rice noodle salad (with sweet orange dressing). Ronto Roaster will have a pod racer engine powered BBQ pit featuring Meiloorun Juice, the Turkey Jerky, and the Ronto Wrap filled with spiced grilled sausage and roasted pork. On a lighter snack note hit Kat Saka’s Kettle for the colorful Outpost Mix, a popcorn snack combining savory, spicy, and sweet flavors. It seems like the hardest part of all this will be figuring out what you want. That’ll be my main issue. Make sure to check out the drinks too in the article before this.

The Many Drinks Of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge!!

As part of D23's major drop of all things Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, they released pics & descriptions for all the various drinks of a galaxy far, far away. From the looks of it alcoholic or non you will have plenty of choices while voyaging the planet of Batuu. I love how other worldly some of these concoctions look. Here's the rundown from place to place. First there's Oga's Cantina where the establishment's owner, Oga Garra, will invite you to try exotic beverages served in unique vessels. Alcoholic beverages will include the Bespin Fizz, Bloody Rancor, Dagobah Slug Slinger, Fuzzy Tauntaun, Jedi Mind Trick, Jet Juice, The Outer Rim, Spriran Caf, T-16 Skyhopper, and Yub Nub. While non-alcoholic libations include Black Spire Brew, Blue Bantha, Carbon Freeze, Cliff Dweller, Hyperdrive Punch It!, Jabba Juice, Moogan Tea, and Tarine Tea. Docking Bay 7 Food & Cargo will feature a host of otherworldly grub we'll go over next time around, but the drinks featured will include Non-alcoholic beverages the Phattro and Moof Juice. While Ronto Roasters will go the non-alcoholic route as well with their food in the form of the Sour Sarlacc or Tatooine Sunset. There will also be a milk stand where we can try Star Wars famous blue milk of A New Hope & green milk of The Last Jedi. Now if I'm being truthful those are the only two I could pick up out of this line up below, but nonetheless I can't wait to try them all!

Hondo For Galaxy's Edge Proves Animatronics Are Getting So Realistic

This is insane. The level of realism with every new Audio-Animatronic is doubling down. I thought the Shaman of Souls in Pandora moved realistically, but this Hondo from Smuggler's Run in Galaxy's Edge looks like it's on a whole other level. It moves so fluently, that it's gonna be hard to realize it's not just a person in makeup & costume. This came on the same day as D23 dumping all kinds of stuff Galaxy's Edge on us from food & drinks, to merchandise & looks at concepts & attractions. Be on the lookout as I'm gonna break 'em all down over the next couple days, & share my thoughts. Until then, what do y'all think of this amazingly ultra-realistic Hondo Audio-Animatronic? Put it in the comments, like, & share.

Cast Member Costumes For "Galaxy's Edge" Revealed

Blog Mickey put up all these cool shots of the Galaxy's Edge costume reveal, & a little background to go with them. The ones up top are the village costumes of the various patrons you'll encounter as you enter Batuu in Hollywood Studios or Disneyland. The coolest part about these are they're deemed interchangeable. Cast members will have a lot of control over how they accessorize throughout the day, & will even have the option to change. I love all the different variations. It's gonna create a more realistic living environment. Down below you see the best & caps that will be donned by the cast members involved with Smuggler's Run , the Millennium Falcon attraction. I like the look, but for some reason I'm just not really feeling the color scheme. They need a little more change up from the full solid color in my opinion, even if it was just expanding the size of the lines on front. On the other hand, right next to them is the costumes for the Rise of the Resistance . I would totally buy these for myself. I don't even know which one I like more. All in all this is even more than I was expecting from the costumes. They're really going all out to make this look like a diverse, real city in a galaxy far, far away. The level of detail to making this feel like a real populated place is blowing me away every time. I can't wait to see this in action. What about y'all? What do y'all think of this costume reveal? Put it in the comments, like, & share.

Some New Looks Behind The Construction Of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

In this "Every Role a Starring Role" we get to see some behind the scenes as Batuu was going up in Disneyland. Once again, this really gives you a look at the scope & scale of this enormous land. Not only that though, in this video you get to see a little of the extreme care going into all the minor details that will bring Batuu to life. All in all, it just gets me that more excited to finally be immersed in a galaxy far, far away. Anyone else totally blown away by the size of this thing? Put it in the comments, like, & share.

Disney Parks Releases Sneak Peek At "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge"

This is the Christmas present I was waiting for! Disney Parks has released a sneak peek at their newest addition to both Disneyland & Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. I've already watched this video three times through, & I'm totally convinced I'm going to break down in tears as I finally get to walk through this highly detailed, emersive land. They break down the attractions, the "Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run" & the "Rise of the Resistance". The latter of which is actually starting to sound more impressive, but the attractions just don't matter to me yet. I can't wait to get totally lost in this land. Just to be immersed in a galaxy far, far away does everything for me. To be able to sit in a bar, sorry, cantina with aliens, my lightsaber & blaster by my side, is more than I could possibly imagine I was ever going to get in my lifetime. Just seeing this, & knowing how close it is has me all emotional. I can't wait for this to happen. How bout y'all? I'm not gonna ask your excitement level. I wanna know what you're looking forward to the most? Put it in the comments, like, & share. And may the Force be with you!

Amazing New Details & Teasers For "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge"

If you've managed to just patiently wait for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge,  coming next year to Disneyland & Disneyworld, then this is about to destroy that patience. Disney Parks Blog released some amazing information that came out of DestinationD this weekend. First, was the only thing we didn't know we need for a Star Wars  themed land. Paying attention to what seems like every detail, John Williams himself has created the score that will accompany us through our own Star Wars  stories. That video was followed by our first teaser look at the attractions. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run will put guests behind the controls of the most famous ship in the galaxy in one of three unique flight crew roles. While, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance  will puts guests in the middle of an epic battle between the Resistance and the First Order. The videos look amazing, even if you only get a vague feel of the attractions. This is also all paired up with the Disney Play app for an extra hands on level of emerson. At DestinationD, Chapek also shared new information about the currently in-development  Star  Wars -themed resort coming to Walt Disney World Resort. From the moment you board your launch pod (teased in the concept art below), you’ll experience a  fully-immersive, multi-day  Star Wars  adventure  aboard a luxury starship complete with high-end dining, space-view cabins, and exciting action. Scheduled to open at  Disneyland Resort  in summer 2019 and at  Walt Disney World Resort  in fall 2019, I can't wait. My lightsaber & heavy blaster are ready. Part of me feels like I've been waiting my whole life for this. Anyway, what do y'all think of this awesome new Galaxy's Edge  details? Put it in the comments, like, & share.

Lots Of Details For Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Come From Galactic Nights 2018

Last night was 2018's Star Wars: Galactic Nights  at Hollywood Studios. Which means they dropped a lot of news regarding the upcoming land of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, coming to both Disneyland & Disneyworld next year. First off was the name of the village you will be visiting when you get to the planet Batuu, the Black Spire Outpost . In which, I can't speak for everyone, but that's an awesome name. I can't wait to see what the merch looks like now. I definitely see at least a new hat on my future if that reads across it. Besides that though, they also gave this background description: "The largest settlement on the planet Batuu, Black Spire Outpost is an infamous stop for traders, adventurers, and smugglers traveling around the Outer Rim and Wild Space. Off the beaten path, this outpost has become a haven for the galaxy’s most colorful — and notorious — characters. Widely known for the petrified remains of its once towering ancient trees, the spires now stand guard across the river valleys and plains and have long captured the imagination of travelers to this planet. To the first settlers, these petrified spires became more than just landmarks; they became the heart of the outpost itself." This really sounds like it's going to make Pandora: World of Avatar look like a small tasting ground when it comes to the level of immersion they're going for. Here's the concept art they released with this.

The next part though is what really got me excited. I wasn't present so I'm using the powers of WDW News Today & Chip & Co. combined. Between them both I've learned that there will be a Creature Stall, where you can adopt creatures to bring home. Your Banshee won't be lonely anymore.  Specifically they name dropped Star Wars: Rebels  Loth-cats. Chip & Co. was also did report they mentioned other creatures as well, yet the Loth-cats were the only specifically named. On another note WDWNT has Disney Immagineering working on bringing to  life a "walking,  breathing, real creature" in the form of the Loth-cat. They're thinking these will be like the free roaming droids. Below is a concept of the Creature Shop, with a pic of a Loth-cat. I'm actually really excited about both these notions. A creature shop to adopt Loth-cats sounds awesome itself. Throw in the possibility of other animals to adopt & I just might have to catch 'em all. Then the possibility of animals roaming the park with droids? That is just totally mind blowing. I get goosebumps just thinking about the level of immersion we're about to be delivered. It's starting to feel like one might actually be able to lose track of reality in this place. I can't wait! Which of these announcements excites you the most? Put it in the comments, like, & share.

Disney Parks Announce Opening Season For "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge"

Disney Parks has announced the opening seasons for both Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge parks. Disneyland's is scheduled to open in the summer next year with Hollywood Studio's version following closely behind, opening late fall. Not sure why the gap between the two. Either Hollywood Studio's park is planned bigger, or they're planning on trying to open the Star Wars themed resort at the same time. This announcement just makes the whole thing that much more real. I'm more excited about these lands than I am for any Star Wars release. Didn't dream I was going to have to wait until late fall for it. This is gonna be a hard one. I almost don't even want any sneak peeks, just so it can all hit me at once. And though I'm saying that now, I know I'm lying. If I can, I'm gonna know this place's whole layout before I even step foot in the place. Hell,  I've been waiting for this my whole life, & just didn't know it. Who else is already planning next year's seasons around these openings? Put it in the comments, like, & share.

I Can Barely Wrap My Head Around Disney's New "Show Environment Room" Patent

This one is not as much technical as it is hard to even fathom. This is a pic attached to a patent I saw first on DIZ, published by Disney Enterprises Inc., titled "Multimedia System for Transforming Any Room Into a Show Environment". The pic is somewhat overwhelming, but I'm going to try to sum up their explanation of what all's goin' on. Building on Disney's recent pattern of immersion, this is a way to make a room more enjoyable through in-room entertainment. I'm gonna say this is with Hotel rooms in mind. Mainly because they really go into Hotel use, & their want to change the mindset behind Hotel rooms. Saying, "Conventional thinking in the hotel industry has been that it is desirable to make their guest very comfortable while they sleep but to otherwise encourage their guests to leave their room to partake in entertaining activities such as shopping and dining on-site or elsewhere in a resort or nearby city." So, now they want you to have a reason to stay in your room. That said, the wording uses Hotels as an example, but does also mention it could be used in a home & other waiting areas like those seen in airports & hospitals as well. Best guess though, this has Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge written all over it. They sound like they're totally trying to bring your room to life though. I could see this used in all the resorts eventually. The whole room is basically going to be an attraction. The system will generally include a controller for selectively operating a television like device, a video projector, an audio system, & other show components like, lights, fan, mechanical props, electrical, illusionary props, & so on. Basically, your room is a friggin' ride attraction. It will have the ability to "tell a story &/or magically transform the space into a multidimensional & immersive entertainment space." Mind Blown. I never thought I'd be excited to stay in my room at Disneyworld. I could speculate what they're going to do with this, but they've basically turned into your room into Happily Ever After. Infinity & beyond is literally the limit of this. This is the first step to Star Trek: The Next Generation 's holodeck. I'm ecstatic! Please, let this happen! What do y'all think? Put it in the comments, like, & share.

At First, Not Sure What To Think Of Millennium Falcon Attraction Video

If you didn't know already Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is coming to Disneyland & Hollywood Studios next year. If you have been under a rock on this, I'll also surprise you with the notion there will be a Millennium Falcon Attraction as well. WDW News Today got to see the in-ride video to be synced with this attraction, & they were kind enough to share it with the world. Now, when I first started watching the video, I couldn't help but think that this doesn't look much different than Star Tours.  Then, they started in with the distortion for the cockpit, with the added reminder that this will be surrounding your  vision. Even when you turn left to right, you will be see the world of Star Wars. The more I started to think about that, the more I started thinking about how much more immersive that will be to the notion you're actually there. As opposed to Star Tours , where you just see what's directly in front of you. Add the notion of the dials & switches you'll be required to "use" for "flight", & I think this is going to be an amazing experience. So, I went into the first part of this video with a meh, only to end in it in high anticipation. What do y'all think though? Put it in the comments, like, & share.

First Look At What We Can Expect From Inside The Millennium Falcon Ride!

An in-progress sequence from the Millennium Falcon attraction has been unveiled, & Nvidia put up this pic as well as some details on what we can expect from this ride when we visit Batuu in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge when it opens next year. The pic's a little lackluster, but the over technical details are amazing. Produced by ILMxLAB, & running in real time, this was the first glimpse of the highly immersive attraction. Walt Disney Imagineering teamed with Nvidia & Epic Games to develop the new tech. Riders will enter the cockpit, which much like Mission: Space  will have buttons & knobs, giving you the chance to "pilot" the Falcon. Here's where it gets technical though. The cockpit will be powered with a single BOXX chassis packed witheight high-end NVIDIA Quadro P6000 GPUs, connected via Quadro SLI. Quadro Synch will synchronize five projectors for creating ultra-high resolution & perfectly timed displays to fully immerse guests in planet Batuu. The team created a custom multi-GPU implementation for Unreal Engine. Anyone who plays games knows what that is. “We worked with NVIDIA engineers to use Quadro-specific features like Mosaic and cross-GPU reads to develop a renderer that had performance characteristics we needed,” says Bei Yang, technology studio executive at Disney Imagineering. “Using the eight connected GPUs allowed us to achieve performance unlike anything before.” Most of that was even too technical for me, but from what I got out of it, this definitely is not going to be your average simulator. Five projectors? This is one of my most anticipated parts of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. I can't wait for more on this. What do ya'll think? Does this sound awesome? Put it in the comments, like, & share.

Construction Video Gives A Sense Of The Massive Scale Of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

Disney Park put up this video of how the construction's coming along on Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in Disneyland, Ca. Until this video I didn't have a real sense of the scale of this project. Galaxy's Edge is going to be huge. I don't know if it's my eyes playing trick, but this place seems to dwarf Pandora in Disney's Animal Kingdom. This is about how far the progress was the first time I saw Pandora actually. Leaving me to wonder what exactly is going to be visible when I visit Hollywood Studios next weekend? I'll try to get some good pics up on Instagram. What do y'all think? Is this shaping up to be everything you ever dreamed of? Put it in the comments, like, & share.

Patents To Make Your Lightsaber Dreams Reality At Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

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.

Cards Paint A Vivid Picture Of "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge"

This is so cool. Apparently, last month at Galactic Nights in Hollywood Studios guests who attended the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge panel we're given some cards. WDW News Today just put up a picture of them all, & not only do they give details of what to expect, the back is map of the planet Batuu. The cards feature a host of details. Captain Rex from the original Star Tours is now a DJ in the local cantina. We'll get fired on by some AT-AT walkers in "Battle Escape". Based on your rep you could have to get out of soome situations with local thugs & bounty hunters. Speaking of which, you can join the Resistance, First Order, or become a bounty hunter/smuggler. You may even come face to mask with Kylo Ren. The maps one of the really intriguing parts though. "Black Spire Station" selling droids & parts. "Docking Bay 7" looking like the place to get some grub. The "Cantina", my favorite concept here, seems to be the main hub of all the action. "Surabat River Valley" is a spot that most likely will wind up the Millennium Falcon's backdrop for the upcoming attraction. "Merchant Row" will be home to many shops like the toy store that will carry Batuu made toys, with "Docking Bay 9" being the place the First Order will "set up shop for their recruiting." There's a part of me that still can't even believe this is happening. The level of emersion they're going for is amazing! I can't wait to walk these streets & lose myself in this world. What do y'all think though? Put it in the comments, like, & share.

"Galactic Nights" Reveals New Details About Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

The other day the ominous photo from the Millennium Falcon was put out & though it looks a lot like the inside of the Falcon, there's no telling what part of the attraction we were actually looking at. Now the attraction itself get some ominous details. "...until you climb through that hatch, walk through her hallways, sit inside her cockpit, power her up & actually fly her yourself, it's not quite the same." That was the description of the ride from a panel at Galactic Nights about Galaxy's Edge put on by Imagineers Scott Trowbridge, Robin Reardon & Chris Beatty, & Doug Chiang from Lucasfilm. I honestly have no idea how they're going to pull off the things that was just said right there. That's a tall order when you've also got to think about keeping lines moving. While that description leaves to much to the imagination, the next ones came wit these pics. First, a whole friggin' fleet of X-wing Starfighters. Metal, so they're the closest things to being real X-wings. I can't wait to see this, talk about photo op! What if they're secretly functioning X-wings? Sure there's no way, but can't I just tell myself that? The coolest part for me though is this marketplace photo & description. Overseen by a Toydarian, like from everyone's favorite The Phantom Menace, the marketplace will of course carry toys. However, they'll be toys form the Star Wars galaxy exclusive to this outpost. The real kicker is they go on to mention that all of it will look hand-crafted by local artisans, keeping even the merchandise in-story. That's level of submersion just takes this thing to a whole other place for me. Talk about make you feel like you're really there. I kept saying when it came to Pandora, wait 'till they use what they've learned here, & up it for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. That shop let's me know they really are going for something to make you feel like you are truly out of this world. I love it! What do y'all think about this exciting news?