Just one day after the newest “Star Wars” film hit theaters, Walt Disney World rolled out its second-ever Galactic Nights event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, bringing fans from all over the galaxy together to celebrate “The Last Jedi” and everything that came before it.
The 5-hour event began at 7pm and offered attendees a chance to not only enjoy the park’s many regular attractions, but more importantly experience some unique Star Wars entertainment including special photo ops, performances, and presentations. The highlights of the night were a panel filled with Disney Imagineers and an exciting display of projection power.
During the Galactic Nights event, the Tower of Terror was vibrantly transformed into a hyperspace-fueled journey to familiar locales from all of the Star Wars universe in projection moments called Galactic Dimensions. Old favorites Tatooine and the Death Star made appearances, which included a most impressive transformation of the Tower of Terror into Han Solo trapped in Carbonite. Luke Skywalker’s home away from home Ahch-To from “The Force Awakens” and more prominently featured in “The Last Jedi” was there too – complete with Porgs – along with Batuu, the recently-named planet that guests will be able to visit when Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens in 2019 as an expansion of the theme park.
WATCH – Tower of Terror turns into Han Solo in Carbonite (“Tatooine” projection sequence) at Galactic Nights
WATCH – Darth Vader / Death Star projections on Tower of Terror at Star Wars: Galactic Nights
WATCH – Batuu / Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge land projections on Tower of Terror at Galactic Nights
WATCH – Ahch-To / Jedi Temple projections on Tower of Terror at Star Wars Galactic Nights
Speaking of Galaxy’s Edge, fans could get closer than ever to the upcoming immersive theme park land as construction walls came down in the new Grand Avenue area, revealing a giant wall and photo op showing what’s to come, seen in the video below along with many other fun photo ops throughout the park – including Porgs!
WATCH – Star Wars: Galactic Nights photo ops – Porgs, Galaxy’s Edge, K-2SO, and more
But that was just the beginning of the excitement surrounding Galaxy’s Edge as actor Warwick Davis introduced a panel of Walt Disney Imagineers to reveal new details about the upcoming land. The panel featured Scott Trowbridge, Portfolio Creative Executive at Walt Disney Imagineering; Robin Reardon, Executive Creative Producer at Walt Disney Imagineering; Chris Beatty, Executive Creative Director at Walt Disney Imagineering and Doug Chiang, VP/Creative Director at Lucasfilm.
WATCH – FULL Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Imagineer presentation
During the panel, the conference room where much of the magic is discussed at Imagineering headquarters was revealed to have a giant Star Destroyer conference table.
More excitingly, recent drone construction footage was shown revealing progress on the Walt Disney World version of the land.
Then the Imagineers dived into some new details from Galaxy’s Edge, showing off artwork and photographs.
Even the water fountains in the land will be heavily themed to fit in with the Star Wars look.
A “fleet” of X-Wings is being built (presumably 2 for each coast) that will feature far more detail than any such vehicle seen in the films, down to the rivets, bolts, aluminum panels, and safety decals.
A closer look inside the upcoming Millennium Falcon ride was revealed, showing the cockpit guests in which guests will take control of the famous starship along with one creature guests will come face-to-face with during the adventure.
Imagineers showed photos taken during research trips to Morocco and Istanbul for how the streets of Galaxy’s Edge should look.
They got the idea to include a store selling in-world toys, crafted by Toydarians (like Watto).
In the end, special cards were handed out to all attendees featuring hidden messages in Aurebesh.
We’ve seen 5 of the 6 cards so far:
The writing (so far) reads: “Come stay here forever or just pass on through… A beacon for drifters forgotten and lost, the spires summoned those broken and tossed…”
Of course, Galaxy’s Edge doesn’t open until 2019 so we can expect many more updates between now and then.
Warwick Davis was interviewing guests in the streets as droids and many more characters were spotted mingling as well.
WATCH – Star Wars character mini-parade at Galactic Nights, Walt Disney World
Meanwhile over in the Star Wars Launch Bay, new props and replicas were added from “The Last Jedi.”
All in all, both Galactic Nights events so far have been packed with non-stop “Star Wars” fun from beginning to end and no fan should pass up the opportunity to attend the next one, presumably when “Solo” hits theaters in May 2018!
Until then, may the Force be with you.
