Disney’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge construction continues at both Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but the Calfornia version just hit a construction milestone ahead of both parks’ 2019 openings.
The crew at Disneyland just installed what will be the highest point in the park, a steel structure that will hold up the rock facade that makes up the landscape surrounding the 14-acre themed land.
“We invited all cast members from around the resort to come and sign the steel beam,” said spokesperson Alexa Garcia. “Cast members had a chance to write their names, write well wishes and to show their excitement for this project.”
The steel beams will hit a height of 130 feet. In comparison, Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom is 189 feet tall while Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is 199 feet.
The rock-work landscaping will be 200,000 square feet at the Disneyland park.
The name Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge was revealed for both parks at the D23 convention in Anaheim, California in July along with a large model of the land that will come to be put on display this fall at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The name is meant to reflect the theme of a planet on the outer edge of the Star Wars galaxy.
“This used to be a vibrant trading port back in the old sub-lightspeed days, but now with advent of hyperspace, its prominence has kind of fallen and faded a little bit which has made it a great spot for those who didn’t want to be on that kind of mainstream path,” said Scott Trowbridge, a creative executive with Walt Disney Imagineering. “The smugglers, the bounty hunters, the rogue adventurers looking to crew up, the people who don’t want to be found — basically all the interesting people.”
The model along with one for Toy Story Land, which opens at Hollywood Studios in 2018, will be in a new space called Walt Disney Presents. They will be installed mid-September. The two lands will take up a combined 25 acres of the Florida park.
In both Florida and California, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will feature two signature rides: one in which visitors can pilot the Millennium Falcon and another that puts visitors in the midst of a battle between The First Order and the Resistance.
The land will also feature shops and restaurants for an immersive Star Wars experience. It’s the largest expansion of any theme park Disney has ever undertaken.
The Disneyland version will open ahead of Florida’s version.
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