John Williams’ Gorgeous New Score and Two Ride Previews Released For Star Wars Theme Park

Yesterday, Lucasfilm gave us a Thanksgiving treat in the form of new John Williams music and two ride previews from the upcoming Galaxy’s Edge, a.k.a. Star Wars Land. Galaxy’s Edge will open at  Disneyland and Disney World next year, just in time for Episode IX. The highly anticipated theme park aims at bringing the galaxy to life for crowds of adoring fans, and will hopefully be worth the endless lines that will ensue to get on a ride or grab a drink at the cantina.

To hype up the park, Disney has released a video teasing the score that promises a world of adventure for guests. The rousing theme is definitely more roguish and adventurous than the straight fanfare of the films, which fits the setting of the park. The park, much like Wizarding World at Universal, is set in a very specific locations of the galaxy, on the planet Batuu. Entertainment Weekly describes the setting as being a “village, known as Black Spire, is a remote trading outpost tucked amid the rocky spikes of an ancient petrified forest. The town serves as a Casablanca-like nexus between the forces of good, evil, and in between as they clash over control of the galaxy.”

This makes sense, given the information we have on the park. It will be less of a regular theme park experience and be more participatory. You can ally yourself with the Resistance or the First Order, and your choices will affect your experience. “As you move through the areas, you might be recruited to join one side or the other,” he said. “Are you a spy? Are you part of the Resistance or willing to join the First Order? It’s up to you. And your role inside of that will be defined by how you choose,” said Scott Mallwitz, ‎executive creative director at Walt Disney Imagineering.

There will also be an immersive hotel experience too, which sounds a little bit like Westworld in space. Chairman of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Bob Chapek said “From the second you arrive, you will become a part of a Star Wars story. You’ll immediately become a citizen of the galaxy and experience all that entails, including dressing up in the proper attire. Once you leave Earth, you will discover a starship alive with characters, stories, and adventures that unfold all around you. It is 100-percent immersive, and the story will touch every single minute of your day, and it will culminate in a unique journey for every person who visits.” Entertainment Weekly also offers more details about the hotel in their release, including a look at the shuttles transporting you to and from the hotel.

Finally, there are the ride teasers. The first focuses on the Millennium Falcon, which you’ll pilot through a series of adventures under Clone Wars and Rebels character Hondo Ohnaka. Guests will be tasked with different duties during the ride to insure it goes smoothly, which sounds highly stressful. Space Mountain is about the most stress I can handle on a regular basis. The second, called Rise of the Resistance, will take you inside a Star Destroyer during a Resistance attack. You’ll witness a dogfight between X-Wings and TIE fighters, and even face off against the Supreme Leader, Kylo Ren. You can watch both videos at this link.

I am so ready to brave the crowds to spend my days happily LARP-ing as a Resistance spy. Are you excited for the park? What ride are you looking forward to the most?

(via Entertainment Weekly; Image: Disney/Lucasfilm)

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