Disney‘s Star Wars theme parks will open in 2019, according to Disney CEO Bob Iger.
The two parks are located at Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, introducing two new landscapes from the Star Wars universe: “a remote trading port and one of the last stops before wild space.” Concept art from the Disneyland expansion shows a full-scale recreation of the Millennium Falcon.
For many fans, the idea of a Star Wars park will be a dream come true. It seems like a no-brainer for Disney to capitalize on such a hugely popular franchise, but you may be surprised to hear it’s not the only sci-fi park in the works. We’re also getting an Avatar park.
Disney
James Cameron‘s Avatar has the dubious honor of being a massive cultural phenomenon that seemed to vanish from the public consciousness within a few months of its release. Since the film came out in 2009, Cameron has been hard at work on Avatars 2, 3, 4, and 5, and said in a recent interview that he’d just completed the fifth and final screenplay. The first sequel is in pre-production, but it’s unclear whether it will be ready in time for its alleged 2018 release date. Or if there’s still an audience for four Avatar sequels.
Meanwhile, the World of Avatar park will open on May 27 this year. As a new extension to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, it includes rides inspired by the bioluminescent forests of Pandora, with typical theme park attractions like Avatar food and souvenirs. Since Disney isn’t actually the studio behind the Avatar franchise, the park is unlikely to include material from the upcoming movies—unlike the Star Wars parks, whose 2019 release date coincides with Star Wars: Episode IX.
