Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger joined by George Lucas, Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Billy Dee Williams to mark historic moment for The Walt Disney Company

ANAHEIM, Calif., May 30, 2019 — (PRNewswire) —  The Walt Disney Company celebrated the momentous dedication of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge tonight in an epic ceremony at Disneyland Park. Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger unveiled the largest and most technologically advanced single-themed land expansion ever in a Disney park, which is set to open to the general public at Disneyland Park on May 31, and also at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida on Aug. 29.

"Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is absolutely amazing and we are thrilled to finally share it with the world," said Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company. "Now, for the first time, fans will be able to immerse themselves in the iconic stories that have captured audiences' imaginations for decades and live their own Star Wars adventures in the most creative, innovative and ambitious land we've ever built."

To dedicate Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, Iger was joined in front of the Millennium Falcon by Star Wars icons including George Lucas, Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Billy Dee Williams. In a ceremony set to the soaring John Williams score composed especially for the land, global media and invited guests were the very first to see the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy roar to life. 

"With Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, Disney is redefining the theme park experience and setting a new bar for experiential storytelling," said Bob Chapek, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. "From each authentic detail to the land's jaw-dropping scale, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge exceeds every expectation."

When it opens to the public at Disneyland Resort on May 31 and at Walt Disney World Resort on Aug. 29, guests will be transported to the remote planet of Batuu*, full of unique sights, sounds, smells and tastes. Guests can become part of the story as they sample galactic food and beverages, explore an intriguing collection of merchant shops and take the controls of the most famous ship in the galaxy aboard Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.

Phase two, opening later this year, will feature Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, the most ambitious, immersive and advanced attraction ever imagined, which will place guests in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance and will blur the lines between fantasy and reality. In light of tremendous demand, Disney made the decision to open the land in phases to allow guests to sooner enjoy the one-of-a-kind experiences that make Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge so spectacular.

Once guests step foot on Batuu, they will be part of the action as it unfolds around them, and their interactions with the Play Disney Parks mobile app** will deepen their engagement with the land – the first land within a Disney park designed to integrate with the app. They may choose to aid a smuggler, join the Resistance or pledge their loyalty to the First Order. This depth of storytelling is part of the total immersion that will distinguish the two, 14-acre lands from any other themed land in history.

The new lands build off decades of collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering and Lucasfilm Ltd., a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production, including the Star Wars franchise. The work on Star Wars between these two creative powerhouses dates back to 1987, when the groundbreaking Star Tours attraction opened at Disneyland Park in California.

Reservations are required to enter Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland Park between May 31 and June 23.*** Guests visiting during this time will need valid theme park admission and a reservation to enter the new land. After June 23, reservations will no longer be required to visit Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.

* Admission into Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge will be subject to capacity, and joining the virtual queue will not guarantee entrance to the land. Visit Disneyland.com for more information.

** Message, data and roaming rates may apply. Availability subject to handset limitations and device settings and features may vary by handset, service provider or otherwise. Coverage and app stores not available everywhere. If you're under 18, get your parents' permission first. Some features require separate theme park admission. Some experiences require in-app purchases.

***Reservations required to visit Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge from May 31 to June 23 at Disneyland Park in California. At this time, general reservations are no longer available, but reservations are still available for guests staying at a Disneyland Resort hotel between May 31 and June 23. Guests staying at one of the three Disneyland Resort hotels during this time will receive a designated reservation to visit Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge during their stay (one reservation per registered guest; valid theme park admission required). Guests may book a stay at Disneyland.com/Hotels or call (714) 520-5060. If the hotel reservation is cancelled, the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge reservation will be cancelled. After June 23, 2019, theme parks, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and its experiences are subject to capacity. 

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SOURCE Disney Parks, Experiences and Products