This week we have a peek at Wedge’s return to the Star Wars Universe, a ton of new Rogue One merchandise and the latest in construction of Star Wars Land. Let’s blast this thing!
| News From The Outer Rim |
How Did Poe Survive Jakku?
How did Poe Dameron survive the TIE fighter crash in The Force Awakens? Lego has the answer:
Wedge Gets A Backstory
Original Trilogy favorite Wedge Antillies story of joining the Rebellion is explored on this weekend’s episode of Star Wars Rebels. Here’s a teaser :
Rebels Recon
If you’re a fan of recap shows like Talking Dead, there is a show for fans of Star Wars Rebels. Each week a new episode Drops, StarWars.com has an episode that talks about what happened and it’s implications in the greater Star Wars universe. You can find it by clicking here.
| Merchandise |
“Rogue Friday” happened last week and brought tons of new stuff to the parks. Here’s a quick tour of the park’s biggest Star Wars hubs.
Star Trader
Launch Bay
Gone Hollywood (DCA)
What do you think of all this Star Wars Merchandise? Are you excited or are you getting Star Wars overload?
| Star Wars Land Construction |
Let’s take a look at the progress of Star Wars Land. Located in what used to be the backstage area of the park, this new land will have entrances from Critter Country, Frontierland and Fantasyland.
This graphic shows what the backstage area of Disneyland looked like before, and what we expect the layout to look like when Star Wars land is complete.
[beforeafter]
[/beforeafter]
Work started in January to prepare the site and demolition soon followed. In June, once the area was cleared, a satellite photo showed what the blank slate looked like.
The dirt mound is changing.
Just east of that, where the Disneyland Railroad is being routed, the large inner wall made with steel I-beams and wood lagging will separate the DLRR and SWL.
On the other side of this wall, the DLRR will make the turn into the Toontown Station. Behind the I-beams, the forms around a rebar core are going in to connect to an earlier piece built that will form the outer wall around the DLRR. This is on the east of the aerial photo.
Nearby, an arch is where the SWL entrance from Fantasyland will have the DLRR cross overhead.
The next set of photos is approximately the middle of the aerial photo and in the graphic and will comprise the Fantasmic Backstage. This maze of walls will come off the Rivers of American to an area where the showboats can be stored and serviced. In this area also will be the entrance from Frontierland.
In this area is also another entrance from Frontierland.
From Frontierland, by the Big Thunder Mountain Rail Road exit, you can see construction through the trees.
Attached to this is the new turn for the River. The tip of Tom Sawyer’s Island is starting to be blocked out as the inner wall of the river is being formed up.
But…we can see just over the wall where the tip of TSI, which was just a flat cement wall until recently, is getting its rock formation.
Following around the inner wall, it will end where there will be a walkway from Critter Country under the Hungry Bear Restaurant near the lower bathrooms.
On the west side of SWL, the basement is getting deeper…AND wider.
The road traversing through the middle of the site lined with green fence is what remains of the old backstage access road. A new access road for Cast Members is being constructed along the west wall. A lot of the underground utilities have been placed and we should start seeing actual roadwork soon.
Also in this area west of the old access road is the beginning of the show building for the Battle Escape Attraction in the graphic. Excavation continued this week and that basement is extending beyond the retaining walls.
That’s our tour of SWL as it looks this week. Check back Monday for more updates on the Disneyland Photo Update.
| As always… |
