After Years of Hype, Disneyland's 'Star Wars' Attraction Opens

ORANGE COUNTY, CA -- Disneyland on Friday welcomed some of the first visitors to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, which company officials called the largest and most technologically sophisticated attraction at the Anaheim theme park.

``Star Wars'' saga icons George Lucas, Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Billy Dee Williams were among those celebrating the historic occasion, which has been years in the making for the 14-acre site.

The action takes place on the fictional futuristic planet Batuu, a 14- acre outpost for the ``resistance'' in its never-ending battle against the First Order. While on Batuu, ``Star Wars'' fanatics get a chance to go on a smuggler's run on the Millennium Falcon and refresh themselves with blue or green milk or sweet-and-spicy popcorn.

As for souvenirs, there's a chance for guests to build their own droid and light sabers or pick up some gear in the battle against the dark side at Black Spire Outfitters. There's more coming, too. By year's end, Disneyland plans to open Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, which will allow fans to
immerse themselves in the battle.

Park officials said the newest attraction cost more than $1 billion to create, and they're expecting a big return on that investment: Over the next four decades, the region could see $14 billion in revenue from visitors who come to Disneyland and spend money in the area.

Anaheim officials said they are looking forward to the economic impact the new attraction may have on the city.

``The future is bright for Anaheim; with the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, and many more development projects in the works, we anticipate Anaheim tourism to positively contribute to the economic vitality of the region for a long time to come,'' said Jay Burress, president and CEO of Visit Anaheim.

Reservations are required for visitors Friday through June 23. General reservations are no longer available, but guests staying at a Disneyland Resort hotel can get a shot at seeing the park. After June 23, admission will depend on capacity.

A similar attraction opens Aug. 29 at the company's theme park in Orlando.

City News Service contributed to this report.