Theme Park Bits: Galaxy's Edge Opens At Walt Disney World, TSA Vs. Disney Souvenirs, And More!
In this edition of Theme Park Bits:
August 29 marks the official opening date of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in a Disney theme park. Well, OK, it's been open in Disneyland for a few months, but now it's arriving at the Walt Disney World Resort in Disney's Hollywood Studios. Unsurprisingly, Disney is going all-out to celebrate the arrival of this land from a long time ago and far, far away. For those of you who love merchandise, specifically of the Funko Pop! variety, you'll want to be on the lookout for a new Funko Pop! figure of Hondo Ohnaka, a major part of the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run attraction. The new figure goes on sale on the 29th, so grab yours while you can.
Speaking of Galaxy's Edge and merchandise, there might be a bit of a party-pooper situation going on for anyone who travels to one of the Disney theme parks by plane. Let's say you're really into the thermal-detonator version of Coca-Cola bottles being sold in Galaxy's Edge. Unfortunately for you, the Transportation Security Administration is...not on board: they've banned the bottles from all flights, for all kinds of luggage. Because the bottles look like replicas of explosive devices, they've been banned for the time being (but don't get your hopes up that the ban will lift). So...maybe rent a car instead.
But let's keep the celebration going, because Walt Disney World sure is. It's not just Disney's Hollywood Studios that will get in on the fun of Galaxy's Edge. If you're hankering for a snack — and who isn't? — you can head over to a number of other locations offering Star Wars-themed food. At the Yacht and Beach Club Resort, there's a Kylo Ren-themed dessert, but the one that looks most distinctive, and weirdly unappetizing, is the Chewbacca Cake at a Disney Springs bakery. It looks...well, too much like Chewbacca for me to want to eat it. But maybe you're in the mood for a fuzzball-shaped dessert.
In Galaxy's Edge, you will likely want a moment or two to remember from your whirlwind visit to the planet of Batuu. Lucky for you, Disney's PhotoPass photographers have you covered, with some new Magic Shots. Magic Shots, for those of you who may not know, are when the photographers get guests to pose in a specific way and then add in some special effect afterwards. In this case, one of the effects is a 360-degree view of Galaxy's Edge with you in the center. Looks pretty cool, even though I'd love to know how the photogs fit into the Black Spire Outpost.
One of the realities of traveling to any theme park is that there's some kind of transportation involved once you're there. If you want to get from your hotel to the parks at Walt Disney World, you can take a bus or a boat or a monorail. Or, some day soon, a self-driving vehicle? It's possible, based on this report from Engadget focusing on a Sony/Yamaha tram that would drive by itself and could be used in theme parks of any kind. It won't be arriving at a theme park just yet (and the current model seats only five people), but maybe this is the ride of the future.