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By Candace Braun Davison, House Beautiful
Nothing Disney does is coincidence, so it should come as no surprise that the weekend Solo: A Star Wars Story hit theaters, the House of Mouse dropped new details about the sections of Disneyland and Disney World it’s modeling after George Lucas’s franchise.
For a while, people have been wondering which scenes - or even entire planets - the land could resemble. So far, reps for the park had called it the largest single-theme expansion they'd undergone, and revealed that the area would be known as Star Wars: At Galaxy's Edge at both parks. That still left plenty of room for speculation. Would it be like Tatooine, where Anakin Skywalker grew up, before becoming Darth Vader? What about Cloud City, where Lando Calrissian resides? Personally, I was crossing my fingers for Endor, because OF COURSE the Happiest Place On Earth would include Ewoks. Have you seen an Ewok?! Please.
Instead, Disney opted for something a little more obscure. Disneyland and Disney World would be gaining a village called Black Spire Outpost, known as an “infamous stop for traders, adventurers, and smugglers traveling around the Outer Rim and Wild Space,” according to a press release. Apparently, it’s a settlement on the planet Batuu, but we all knew that, didn’t we?
You’ll know you’re in Batuu - and not, say, Fantasyland - when you notice the “petrified remains of once-towering ancient trees.” That somewhat creepy-sounding flora will flank the area's rivers and plains. And by "rivers and plains," we can only hope Imagineers mean, "scenic, meandering paths for the hella long lines you will surely face trying to get onto the rides at these parts of the park." Early renderings give us a sneak peek of what it could look like:
You'll find two full-size AT-ATs (AKA those clumsily designed war machines Luke Skywalker's team easily destroyed via that most dastardly of instant-death maneuvers ... tripping) there as well. The Outpost is also where you'll board one of two major rides at the park, according to a panel featuring Walt Disney Imagineers, who spoke over the weekend. Not much is known about the ride at the Outpost yet, other than it'll involve stepping into a Resistance Troop Transport and jetting off. The other big attraction involves the Millennium Falcon, though that's pretty hush-hush right now, too.
Disneyland's version is set to open next summer, whereas Disney World's section won't open until Fall 2019. (California fans, don't mock East Coasters too fast - Disney World is getting a Star Wars-themed hotel that connects to the park. And creating a home away from home in a galaxy far, far away takes time, people.)
