Here's Your First Look at Disney's Star Wars-Themed Season of the Force Event

Disneyland previewed its "Season of the Force" event Thursday night, offering a first look at some of the new-themed attractions in the park's Tomorrowland.



Photos courtesy Disney

The heart of the event is the Star Wars Launch Bay, which has taken over the lower level of the newly-christened Tomorrowland Expo Center (the old Innoventions building). Rather than slapping together a simple meet-and-greet with a temporary souvenir location, Disney has created a narrative for the exhibit, which offers visitors the opportunity join the Resistance... or the Dark Side of the Force.

Speaking of the Dark Side, First Order stormtroopers greet visitors to the Launch Bay, who will see a familiar text scroll on the ground as they enter. The first scene in the Launch Bay is the Cantina, where you can take your turn for a photo at the Holochess table and other iconic sights in the bar. From there, you can choose the light or the dark, entering a themed room — a Rebel base or Star Destroyer — where you can meet Chewbacca or Darth Vader, respectively.

Each side of the Force has its own gallery in the Launch Bay, displaying Jedi or Sith lightsabers, Rebel helmets and flight suits, and Stormtrooper armor. Props and replicas from episode VII,will be on display in the Preview Gallery.

The Launch Bay Theater will show a video featuring interviews with members of the production teams behind the Star Wars films, and the Game Center will feature current and upcoming Star Wars video games, including new Disney Infinity 3.0 content, exclusive to the Launch Bay. And, yes, the Cargo Bay is the gift shop, with a selection of high-end memorabilia in addition to Star Wars souvenirs.

Beyond the Launch Bay, am X-wing battle rages inside Space Mountain, as Disneyland's iconic indoor roller coaster becomes "Hyperspace Mountain" for the event. The ride will feature a new soundtrack, inspired by the music from the films and recorded for the ride by the London Symphony Orchestra.

Around the corner, Star Tours: The Adventurers Continue will feature new characters and adventures from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The Tomorrowland Theater will be showing "Star Wars: Path of the Jedi," a compilation from the Star Wars films, including moments from Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Over at the Tomorrowland Terrace, the restaurant is transforming into The Galactic Grill, with some new Star Wars-themed items on the menu, including the First Order Burger, with a patty of beef and chorizo, topped with fried cherry peppers and spicy-lime aioli on a dark bun.

Starting Dec. 8, a new version of the Jedi Training Academy, "Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple," will debut on the Terrace stage.

"Season of the Force" and its attractions open to the public at Disneyland on Monday, Nov. 16. The Walt Disney World version of the event, minus Hyperspace Mountain, opens Dec. 1 at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

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