DID YOU KNOW?
Creator George Lucas
originally envisaged
the role of Yoda being
played by a monkey
wearing a mask and
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FAMILY
The Force has never been stronger,
and a new stateside ofering is taking
family travel to starry new heights
Whatever the verdict on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,
the most recent instalment in the saga, fans can now
escape to a galaxy not so far, far away at Star Wars:
Galaxy’s Edge — a state-of-the art recreation of the planet
Batuu at both Walt Disney World Orlando and Disney’s
Hollywood Studios in California.
It’s hard not to be blown away by these parks, which
each comprise two major rides along with various
themed restaurants and shops. Just the sight of the
life-size replica of the Millennium Falcon will elicit
gasps from parents and kids alike, while STAR WARS:
MILLENNIUM FALCON — SMUGGLER’S RUN only adds to the
sense of wonder. In this interactive virtual-reality ride,
visitors pilot the fabled YT-1300 Corellian light freighter
through space. On entering the cockpit, each rider is
assigned a role — pilot, engineer or gunner — and the
ride lasts between six to 12 minutes, depending on your
combined skills.
Meanwhile, STAR WARS: RISE OF THE RESISTANCE is
like nothing else. Billed as a ‘dark ride’, it’s basically
four mini-rides and a piece of theatre combined, with
holographic or video appearances by Rey, Finn, Kylo Ren
and other famous faces from the ilm along the way. It’s a
full-blown, full-throttle adventure, where even the queue
is part of the fun.
But it’s not just about the rides. Galactic Starcruiser, the
Star Wars-themed hotel at Florida’s Walt Disney World
Resort is set to welcome galaxy-hopping guests from 2021.
There will be droid staf, lightsaber training, duels, and
even a spacecrat-like pod-shuttle to the parks.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is just as impressive when
it comes to immersive detailing, too: bins are styled to
look like droids, concrete is marked with R2-D2’s tracks,
Stormtroopers patrol the park, signs are in the alien
Aurebesh language, and food and drink is straight from
the Star Wars universe — blue milk and Endorian tip-yip
(chicken, mash and gravy) are some of the highlights.
disneyworld.disney.go.com RHONDA CARRIER
SMART TRAVELLER28 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel