Rumor: Disney Planning New Star Wars Rides for Hollywood Studios
By Kyle Warnke
All eyes may be on San Diego Comic-Con next week as Star Wars fans prepare for some earth-shaking announcements, but there are already rumors of the franchise invading another region: Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando.
According to a new article from Billy Connelly of This Is Infamous, Disney is getting set for a $3 billion overhaul of the theme park that will include rides from a galaxy far, far away, along with some additions from the Indiana Jones franchise and the Pixar films.
As far as Star Wars rides go, the article says there will be a “Dagobah centerpiece” that will take the place of Echo Lake and Gertie the Dinosaur. Along with STAR TOURS and the Jedi Training Academy, which will reportedly be moved indoors, there will be at least four new Star Wars attractions, not including any other background additions like shops or restaurants.
With these rides and more supposedly on their way in, that means several attractions will have to get the boot. Connelly says that the only rides that are staying are The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster, Toy Story Mania and the Great Movie Ride, although the overhaul won’t happen all at once, but rather in phases.
Peter Sciretta of /Film doctored a map of the existing park to show where he thinks this new Star Wars area will be situated.
No word on if any of these changes will make their way to Disneyland in California.
As per usual, none of this information is confirmed, but it will reportedly be unveiled at this year’s D23 convention, which takes place at the Anaheim Convention Center Aug. 14-16. Disney is supposed to reveal many more details and specifics about their plans for the park.
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- Interview: John Jackson Miller discusses transition from EU to Disney
- Ahsoka Tano is coming to Disneyland’s Star Tours
Although it’s unfortunate that several iconic attractions will have to be scrapped for these additions, it’s tough not be ecstatic that we may be getting the first full-on Star Wars theme park.
Obviously, the designers will likely take as much inspiration as they can from the original trilogy when putting the park together, but it’ll be interesting to see if any of the prequels or elements from The Force Awakens make it into the final product. Will we get to go on a ride-along adventure with BB-8? Will there be a rollercoaster through the planet core of Naboo? Stay tuned for more this August.
(Header image is a hypothetical Star Wars park dreamed up by comic book artist Tom Hodges.)
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