Jon Snoddy, Disney EVP of Imagineering — Disney’s artist-scientist genius division — dropped some big hints about just how cool the rides at Disneyland’s forthcoming “Star Wars” area will be on stage at a CES 2016 panel.
Thanks to the involvement of Industrial Lights and Magic, the legendary special-effects firm that Disney acquired in its big 2013 purchase of “Star Wars” studio Lucasfilm, Snoddy says that one of the rides will be “unprecedented, in a way.”
“It will be a boat ride where the boats are controlled down to millimeters to precisely align them frame by frame to this ILM giant projection that will be able to determine exactly where peoples’ eye are to give a sense of depth in 3D,’ he explained of the upcoming addition to its theme parks that will mix projection with real sets.
“When you build a theme park attraction, you’re building a massive device.”
While Snoddy didn’t share any details on exactly which ride this was in reference to, the description lines up with the previous announcement of an attraction that takes riders through a battle between the evil First Order and the heroic Resistance — inspired by the record-smashing movie “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”
In fairness, it could also refer to the Disney Parks’ forthcoming “Avatar Land” areas, based on the 2009 smash hit, and which we already knew would have a boat ride — but from the context of the conversation, it certainly sounded like a “Star Wars” attraction. We’ll have to wait for more official details on Disney’s “Star Wars” plans for the parks to know for sure.
In order to make way for its new “Star Wars”-themed land, Disneyland will close several attractions later in January, including Big Thunder Ranch, the Big Thunder Ranch petting zoo, and Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree. Eatery Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue will also close.
