The Force Is Here! 'Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge' Unveiled At Disneyland
ANAHEIM (CBSLA/AP) – The wait is over as the much-anticipated "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge" park was unveiled in a star-studded ceremony Wednesday night.
On hand for the dedication was Disney CEO Bob Iger and Star Wars icons George Lucas, Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Billy Dee Williams.
"This thing is amazing, it's really something you couldn't even dream about 20 years ago," Lucas told the crowd.
"Isn't this fantastic!" Iger added.
PHOTOS: AN EXCITING FIRST LOOK AT 'STAR WARS: GALAXY'S EDGE'
Galaxy's Edge is an adventure through the grungy planet Batuu, a remote world in the newest "Star Wars" trilogy, and the fight between the Resistance and the evil First Order. The sprawling 14-acre land has three different areas including the Resistance, First Order and the Village.
CBS2's DeMarco Morgan and Tina Patel were on hand Tuesday for an exclusive tour that included Star Wars-themed food tasting, a stroll through the Black Spire Outpost marketplace and four-minute ride on the "Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run."
Guests get to step into the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon, the exact replica of the ship from the films, measuring more than 100 feet long. The interactive experience allows a team of six people to operate the spacecraft.
"I want them to recognize that their dreams are coming to life," Project Manager Nick Ross told CBS2. "For 40 years, people have been dreaming about flying the Millennium Falcon. And we actually get to fly the Millennium Falcon. You get to be a pilot, you get to be a gunner, you get to be an engineer. You are the crew that gets this ship moving."
A second attraction, "Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance," will open later this year.
Guests can build their own droids and lightsabers and interact with aliens. They can take a swig of the same kind of blue milk that made an appearance with Luke Skywalker in "Star Wars: A New Hope." The dairy-free milk is a frozen blend with dashes of citrus taste.
"You'll see a lot of iconic light fixtures from the films, including stuff from the Resistance and the First Order," lighting designer Noah Holliday told CBS2. "Everything you see is 100 percent authentic to Star Wars."
Disney officials said it took more the five years to develop and finish the attraction, which Disney says is the largest and "most technologically advanced single-themed land expansion" ever at any of their parks.
The Boys and Girls Club will be the first guests to see it in person Thursday. Galaxy's Edge opens to the public on Friday. Due to popular demand, however, reservations will be required to visit the attraction through June 23. Beginning June 24, no reservations will be required.
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(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
