Star Wars Hotel

Last updated

Star Wars hotel
Star Wars Hotel Concept art.jpg
Location Epcot Resort Area
Resort typeDeluxe resort
Theme Star Wars

A Star Wars -themed luxury hotel is currently being built near Disney's Hollywood Studios, in the Epcot Resort Area of the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. The hotel accompanies the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge themed area in Disney's Hollywood Studios. [1]

<i>Star Wars</i> Epic science fantasy space opera franchise

Star Wars is an American epic space-opera media franchise created by George Lucas. The franchise began with the eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The original film, later subtitled Episode IV – A New Hope, was followed by the sequels Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983), forming what is collectively referred to as the original trilogy. A prequel trilogy was later released, consisting of Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) and Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005). Years later, a sequel trilogy began with Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015), continued with Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017), and will conclude with Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019). The first eight films were nominated for Academy Awards and were commercially successful. Together with the theatrical anthology films Rogue One (2016) and Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), the combined box office revenue of the films equates to over US$9 billion, and is currently the second-highest-grossing film franchise.

Disneys Hollywood Studios Third of four theme parks built at Walt Disney World

Disney's Hollywood Studios is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks, Experiences and Products division. Based on a concept by Marty Sklar, Randy Bright, and Michael Eisner, the park opened on May 1, 1989, as the Disney-MGM Studios (Theme) Park, and was the third of four theme parks built at Walt Disney World. Spanning 135 acres (55 ha), the park is dedicated to the imagined worlds from film, television, music, and theatre, drawing inspiration from the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Epcot Resort Area group of resorts at Walt Disney World

The Epcot Resort Area is the area between Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort which consists of six individual resorts, five of which are interconnected via footpaths and waterways surrounding a large central lake known as Crescent Lake.

Contents

History

In April 2017, Disney contracted the website swagbucks.com to survey visitors in order to gauge interest in a possible Star Wars-themed hotel. As a result of the survey, Disney decided to approve such a hotel, with a visitor experience based on the Star Wars storyline. [2] [3]

Definite plans for the Star Wars hotel were first announced at the 2017 D23 Expo in Anaheim, California. [4] The proposal was announced as part of the unveiling of 23 improvements and additions to Disney parks around the world. [5]

D23 (Disney) website on the Disney universe

D23 is the official fan club for The Walt Disney Company. Founded in 2009, the organization is known mainly for its biennial exposition event, the D23 Expo. The name D23 refers to D for Disney and 23 for 1923—the year Walt Disney founded the company.

Anaheim, California City in California, United States

Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a population of 336,265, making it the most populous city in Orange County and the 10th-most populous city in California. Anaheim is the second-largest city in Orange County in terms of land area, and is known for being the home of the Disneyland Resort, the Anaheim Convention Center, and two major sports teams: the Anaheim Ducks ice hockey club and the Los Angeles Angels baseball team.

Description

The Star Wars hotel has no set opening date according to the Orlando Sentinel . [6] According to renderings, the new hotel would be shaped like a Star Wars starship. [5] [7] The rooms would have children's bunk beds and adult-sized beds in the style of Star Wars bunkers, [8] with each room fitting up to four people. [2] Renderings also showed a lobby in the style of a Star Wars spaceship interior. [8]

<i>Orlando Sentinel</i> newspaper

The Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of Orlando, Florida, and the Central Florida region. It was founded in 1876 and is currently owned by Tribune Publishing Company.

A starship, starcraft or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between planetary systems.

Bunk bed Bed in which one bed frame is stacked on top of another

A bunk bed is a type of bed in which one bed frame is stacked on top of another, allowing two or more beds to occupy the floor space usually required by just one. They are commonly seen on ships, in the military, and in hostels, dormitories, summer camps, prisons, and the like.

Bob Chapek, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, stated that the Star Wars hotel would be Disney's "most experiential concept ever" when it opens. [6] Chapek described the hotel as a "100% immersive" experience that "will culminate in a unique journey for every person who visits.” [9] Some examples of the planned features included creatures and droids acting as certain hotel staff such as butlers; guests wearing Star Wars costumes; and an ability to interact with features of the hotel as if visitors were really in the Star Wars universe. [10] Visitors would also be able to have lightsaber training and duels (an extension of the Jedi Training Academy in Disney's Hollywood Studios [2] ); explore and pilot Star Wars spacecraft; and go on "secret missions" personalized toward the visitors' experience. [7]

Lightsaber Fictional weapon

A lightsaber is a fictional energy sword featured in the Star Wars universe. A typical lightsaber is depicted as a luminescent blade of magnetically contained plasma about 3 feet (91 cm) in length emitted from a metal hilt around 10.5 inches (27 cm) in length.

Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple attraction at Disney Parks based on the Jedi teachings found in the Star Wars series

Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple is a guest experience based on the Jedi teachings found in the Star Wars series, located next to Star Tours – The Adventures Continue in the Echo Lake area at Disney's Hollywood Studios, at the Tomorrowland Terrace in Disneyland, inside Videopolis in Discoveryland at Disneyland Park Paris and at the original UFO Zone area in Hong Kong Disneyland.

One writer for The Verge called the planned hotel a "Westworld for Star Wars fans," noting the different hotel amenities that would allow the immersive-hotel experience to occur. [10] Mic compared the planned hotel to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and Universal Orlando’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, both of which are existing hotels containing immersive experiences, though to a lesser extent. [11]

<i>The Verge</i> American technology news and media network operated by Vox Media

The Verge is an American technology news and media network operated by Vox Media. The network publishes news items, long-form feature stories, guidebooks, product reviews, and podcasts.

<i>Westworld</i> US science fiction–thriller media franchise

Westworld is an American science fiction-thriller media franchise which began in 1973 with the release of the film Westworld, written and directed by Michael Crichton. The film depicts a technologically advanced, Western-themed amusement park populated by androids that malfunction and begin killing the human visitors; it was followed by the sequel film Futureworld (1976).

Mic (media company) American internet and media company

Mic is an American internet and media company based in New York City that caters to millennials.

On May 30, 2018, it was announced that the hotel would be located just south of Disney's Hollywood Studios, to the east of World Drive. [12] That July, it was revealed that the hotel's direct entrance to Disney's Hollywood Studios would be located between the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance attractions in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. There would be a limited amount of parking in the hotel, although valet parking would be available. Guests entering the park by foot would have to cross over a drainage ditch on the park's southern border. [13] There would also be a driveway connecting to the parking lot of Disney's Hollywood Studios. [14]

In addition to walking, guests at the hotel would also be able to travel directly to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge by a shuttle-pod transportation system. This system would be made to resemble a shuttle spacecraft that would ferry guests between the hotel and the land while maintaining the illusion of traveling from space to the planet's surface and back. [15]

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<i>Star Wars</i>: Galaxys Edge Themed area in Disneyland and Disneys Hollywood Studios

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is a themed area inspired by the Star Wars universe, located within Disneyland Park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, and forthcoming at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. The area encompasses 14 acres (5.7 ha) at each park. Galaxy's Edge takes place within the village of Black Spire Outpost, on the wild frontier planet of Batuu, and features several attractions, shops, restaurants, and entertainment offerings.

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References

  1. ↑ Fashingbauer Cooper, Gael (July 16, 2017). "Disney's Star Wars land named Galaxy's Edge, includes resort". CNET. Archived from the original on July 16, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 "Disney's Star Wars Hotel: Sleep In A Starship, Live In The Story". Slashfilm. April 18, 2017. Archived from the original on April 19, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  3. ↑ Holmes, Jamie (April 18, 2017). "Star Wars: Disney fans asked about a new theme hotel". WFTV. Archived from the original on April 30, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  4. ↑ Kumparak, Greg (July 15, 2017). "Disney is opening an immersive Star Wars Hotel where each guest gets a storyline". TechCrunch. Archived from the original on July 16, 2017.
  5. 1 2 Levine, Arthur (July 18, 2017). "Disney announces 23 wild new developments for its theme parks". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on July 19, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  6. 1 2 Bevil, Dewayne (July 15, 2017). "Coming to Disney World: Tron, Guardians of the Galaxy ride, 'Star Wars' hotel". OrlandoSentinel.com. Archived from the original on July 16, 2017. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
  7. 1 2 Mulvihill, Tom (July 17, 2017). "The world's first official Star Wars-themed hotel to open at Walt Disney World Orlando". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on July 17, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2017.
  8. 1 2 Strachan, Maxwell (July 19, 2017). "Wait, This 'Immersive' 'Star Wars'-Themed Hotel Looks Awesome". Huffington Post. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  9. ↑ Fickley-Baker, Jennifer (July 15, 2017). "Plans Unveiled for Star Wars-Inspired Themed Resort at Walt Disney World". Disney Parks Blog. Archived from the original on July 16, 2017. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
  10. 1 2 Bishop, Bryan (July 16, 2017). "Disney wants to build a Westworld for Star Wars fans". The Verge. Archived from the original on July 16, 2017. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  11. ↑ Marino, Valerie (August 1, 2017). "The 'Star Wars' hotel isn't just for fans. It might be the future of immersive travel". Mic. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
  12. ↑ Fickley-Baker, Jennifer (May 30, 2018). "Update on the Star Wars Immersive Resort Planned for Walt Disney World Resort". Disney Parks Blog.
  13. ↑ Russon, Gabrielle (July 5, 2018). "Disney: New details on Star Wars hotel access". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  14. ↑ "New Details Reveal the 'Star Wars' Hotel at Walt Disney World Will Have Special Access". Travel + Leisure. July 6, 2018. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  15. ↑ Gallagher, Brian (November 17, 2018). "New Star Wars Disney Hotel Concept Art Reveals Shuttle Pod Entrance". ScreenRant. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
LocationDeluxeModerateValueDeluxe Villa / Disney Vacation Club
Magic Kingdom Resort Area Disney's Contemporary Resort
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Disney's Polynesian Village Resort
Disney's Wilderness Lodge
Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge 		Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground N/A Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort
Disney's Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge
Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney's Wilderness Lodge
The Villas at Reflections
Epcot Resort Area Disney's Beach Club Resort
Disney's BoardWalk Inn
Disney's Yacht Club Resort
Star Wars Hotel 		Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort N/A Disney's Beach Club Villas
Disney's BoardWalk Villas
Disney’s Riviera Resort
ESPN Wide World of Sports Resort Area N/AN/A Disney's Art of Animation Resort
Disney's Pop Century Resort 		N/A
Animal Kingdom Resort Area Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
Disney's Coronado Springs Resort Disney's All-Star Movies Resort
Disney's All-Star Music Resort
Disney's All-Star Sports Resort 		Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas
Disney Springs Resort Area N/A Disney's Port Orleans Resort N/A Disney's Old Key West Resort
Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
Future resorts are denoted in italics.
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