Disney prepares $1 billion “Galaxy’s Edge” Anaheim attraction among other initiatives

With demand continuing to grow for Disney parks and movies, the entertainment giant announced plans to add new attractions throughout its parks, including a new Marvel superhero expansion in Anaheim, The Los Angeles Times reports.

During its fan exposition D23 in Anaheim, Disney officials revealed details of planned attractions at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim and at its Florida theme parks Walt Disney World, Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

The $1-billion project Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland will include two attractions, a ride that lets guests fly the iconic spaceship the Millennium Falcon and another that throws visitors in the middle of a battle between the Resistance and the First Order.

To make room for the Marvel expansion, Disney fans have predicted that the park would have to close several less-popular attractions in the nearby A Bug’s Land area and also expand into an adjacent parking lot, The Times reported. Bob Chapek, chairman of Disney’s parks and resorts, gave no details, except to say: “We keep moving forward and trying new things.”

In other plans for Disney California Adventure, Paradise Pier will be converted to Pixar Pier next summer, to include characters from the movies made by Pixar Animation Studios, a subsidiary of Disney. A Pixar parade and fireworks show is also expected. Also, Cars Land will be remade this fall for Halloween.

Turning to the Florida parks, he also announced a new Mickey and Minnie Mouse-inspired ride at Hollywood Studios called Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railroad, using what Chapek called “2½ D” instead of 3D technology.

A ride based on the movie “Ratatouille” will be built at Epcot, a ride based on the “Tron” movie and video game will be built at Walt Disney World in Orlando, and an overhead tram ride will be added to connect the parks in Florida, he said.

Chapek said he hoped to have many of the projects finished in time for the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World in 2021.

The last time Disneyland closed several attractions for a major construction project was between 1995 and 1998, when the park overhauled Tomorrowland with several new attractions and a gold-and-brown paint scheme replacing the previous blue-and-white colors, the LA Times reports.