Why I'm Excited For Disney+

Why I'm Excited For Disney+

At The Walt Disney Company’s Investor Day presentation last week, the Mouse House finally revealed what it has in store for its upcoming Disney+ streaming service, and it is a lot. Disney is coming out guns blazing with a slew of content and an aggressive price point that make Disney+ a compelling value proposition for consumers in a crowded streaming field.

There’s a lot to be excited about when the service debuts this November, from the first ever live-action Star Wars series The Mandalorian to all the MCU series to the Imagineering documentary series. And I’m hopeful that classic Disney catalog animated series like Adventures of the Gummi Bears, Gargoyles and Recess will finally be available in their entirety on Disney+.

All the TV coming to Disney+ is great, but I’m also really excited for the potential benefits this new platform offers on the movies front. Read on to see why.

The MCU And Star Wars All In One Place

The Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars are the two most successful franchises ever, and eventually they will both be viewable in their entirety on Disney+. These franchises both have a high re-watchability factor, and if you’re a fan of either of them, having guaranteed access to them anytime on Disney+ is an enticing prospect.

Once Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is out, you’ll be able to binge all nine films in the Skywalker Saga in one place. Consider the current situation with Avengers: Endgame as well. Many Marvel fans want to re-watch some of the previous MCU movies before The Infinity Saga comes to a close, but currently you can’t do that on streaming, even across multiple services. You would have to own physical copies or pay rental fees. Even as an advocate of physical media, I find this appealing, especially since Disney+ will support 4K and HDR, so I won’t need to upgrade nearly two dozen movies to get great quality.

New And Original Movies

Disney has found a lot of success theatrically thanks to its massive brands and recognizable IPs. The studio makes the most successful and popular blockbusters in the industry, but that’s basically all it makes. There is a sameness and safety to Disney’s theatrical strategy of rotating tentpoles from established properties that is wildly lucrative, but predictable. The Disney+ platform provides the company a way to do something different, as Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Productions President Sean Bailey said at the Investor presentation:

Disney+ affords us the opportunity to tell more stories from a variety of genres. We will always remain true to the values of what a Disney live-action film offers, but we’re able to take some risks, which is really exciting. While theatrical box office right now is being driven by giant blockbuster events, there are amazing stories and characters that are yearning to be enjoyed by the whole family.

For a studio sometimes criticized for only making blockbusters, this is exciting. Already Disney+ has the holiday comedy Noelle starring Anna Kendrick, the coming-of-age novel adaptation Stargirl and the kid caper Timmy Failure, to name a few. It’s awesome to see Disney branching out, taking risks and allowing for more creative freedom by telling different kinds of stories than it does on the big screen. Sean Bailey also indicated that the same love and care will be given to these Disney+ movies as the company’s theatrical titles, and that’s exciting.

Remakes Of Less Popular Disney Animated Movies

There is an argument to be made that Disney is going for cheap nostalgia dollars by remaking its animated classics in live-action, but people love them and they are largely successful. Yet as Dumbo recently showed, not all of the studio’s animated classics are really built to be box office smashes. But that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a solid live-action remake, and Disney+ provides a place for a smaller-budgeted remake to land.

One of the launch titles for Disney+ is a live-action reimagining of Lady and the Tramp starring the voices of Justin Theroux and Tessa Thompson. There’s also a remake in the works of The Sword in the Stone. Disney may run out of titles popular enough to be big screen blockbusters, but its catalog is extensive and has many films that could find new life in remakes on Disney+. We’d love to see Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Treasure Planet get some love too, but those two might require big screen budgets. The Black Cauldron maybe?

Live-Action Sequels And Reboots Could Have A Chance On Disney+

This isn’t so much a promise of Disney+, but a hope for the nascent streaming service. Disney has a long history full of great and beloved titles beyond its revered animated movies. Disney hasn’t indicated as such, but it seems like an ideal place for reboots and sequels of the studio’s live-action properties that no longer fit within its big-screen strategy. Or more specifically, the long awaited, frequently-asked-for National Treasure 3.

Bob Iger hasn’t doused hopes for National Treasure 3, and if finding a place for it on Disney’s crowded theatrical calendar was a problem, that obstacle could be removed if it releases on Disney+ instead. The hope for National Treasure 3 isn’t the only exciting possibility though. A reboot of The Rocketeer was in the works, and while we haven’t heard much about it recently, that too may be have a better chance to soar on Disney+. And that reported TV movie reboot of Hocus Pocus should really be a proper sequel dropping on Disney+ next Halloween.

No More Vault

Has there ever been a more brilliant and infuriating invention than the Disney Vault? Disney’s strategy of only making its animated movies available on home video for a limited time to create demand and make each re-release an event has long frustrated fans of the studio’s classic films. Disney has even employed this tactic in the streaming and digital realms; with the Aladdin remake on its way, the 1992 original is unavailable for streaming or digital purchase.

Like Robin Hood stealing from Prince John, Disney+ is busting that vault wide open and raiding it for subscribers. The vault program will not apply on the service and Disney+ will be the one-stop shop for fans of Disney’s animated classics. That means no more searching stores or different streaming services in vain when the mood strikes you to watch one of your childhood favorites. That convenience is awesome and as someone who grew up with Disney’s animated movies, it will be nice to know I can watch them all in one place.

It is still early and Disney+ hasn’t even launched yet, but it already has a lot going for it. The potential for Disney+ to reward Disney fans by offering both beloved existing films and unique new movies is immediately evident and exciting.

Disney+ launches in the United States on November 12 with a monthly rate of $6.99 or an upfront yearly price of $69.99. We’ll keep you updated on all the latest news on Disney+ as it arrives.

Reviews For Matthew McConaughey's The Beach Bum Are In, And They Are Brutal

Reviews For Matthew McConaughey's The Beach Bum Are In, And They Are Brutal

Next weekend, if you’re not looking to get high with Dumbo (you know, because he flies!) there’s always the alternative to catch Matthew McConaughey play a middle-aged stoner / poet named Moondog in the upcoming release The Beach Bum. The filmmaker who brought you James Franco in cornrows and platinum teeth in 2012’s Spring Breakers is back with another neon bright flick about excess and hedonism.

Following The Beach Bum’s recent premiere at SXSW, the movie isn’t lighting a fire in most critics. In fact, many reviews sound like a sobering recount of a regretful crazy night out. Check out what the New York Post’s Johnny Oleksinski paint a brief picture of the movie from his one-star review:

The one very funny scene is provided by Martin Lawrence as a dolphin spotting boat tour guide who’s had ‘only four deaths on my watch in eight years’ and owns a coke-addicted parrot. That bit is the height of this film’s sophistication.

Wow, there you have it! This detail is probably a good gauge of what to expect from the stoner comedy set in Florida and starring Martin Lawrence, in addition to Snoop Dogg, Zac Efron (who dons panini-inspired facial hair), Jonah Hill and Isla Fisher. Don’t sign up for The Beach Bum next weekend if is kind of plot point doesn’t amuse. The reviewer also noted that the movie is so deplorable that he wanted to punch McConaughey’s character in the face.

Rolling Stone’s David Fear took to his review to also recount some of the wildness of The Beach Bum, describing that it’s all about McConaughey having a good time but that’s pretty much it. In his words:

The Beach Bum is not about plot. It’s about having the good taste to live like trash, or maybe the bad taste to live really well and NGAF… It’s about giving McConaughey the space to really cut loose, and we do mean loose — the actor is constantly engaging in some sort of funky, rubber-limbed dancing, or faux-drunkenly breezing through his scenes, or passed out ‘n’ drooling.

Critics don’t seem to be allergic to a good party either, it’s the way The Beach Bum does it that seems to bother them. According to Dan Caffrey of Consequence of Sound, early in the movie he already grew tired of Moondog’s antics of pool parties, weed-smoking and living by his own rules. Here’s what he had to say about the movie:

...it’s the same sun-baked atmosphere, tired stoner humor, and fortune-cookie platitudes from Moondog, over and over and over. His outlook and musings never evolve or amplify; they flatline almost as soon as the movie begins. Contrary to what everyone in his world seems to believe, he’s exhausting to hang out with before long.

Harmony Korine’s movies do tend to have this effect on audiences. The filmmaker angered critics with his 1997 debut Gummo and Spring Breakers certainly divided people do to its niche provocativeness that allowed Disney Channel stars Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens to shed their clean on screen presence.

The movie didn’t completely fall flat for some viewers. Variety’s Peter Debruge found McConaughey’s performance to be a fun take on his persona. Here’s what he said:

Moondog feels less like a transformation than a gross exaggeration of McConaughey’s preexisting off-screen persona: the blissed-out, bongo-playing stoner, with the anything-goes attitude and dog-whistle laugh. But more than that, the star is clearly having such a blast inhabiting this character, it doesn’t actually seem like work.

Back in the day, the actor actually was arrested for causing too much noise in his home playing the bongos naked for his neighbors to handle so The Beach Bum can play sort of as an exaggerated take on the actor known as a laid-back beach bum himself. The actor has given some memorable performances before and The Guardian’s Kristy Puchko was among the few who found some depth in McConaughey’s performance. In her words:

Moondog 'just keeps living' – McConaughey’s personal motto. But in quiet closeups, McConaughey reveals the emotional labor behind this choice. We see Moondog take in a situation, a flirtation, a farewell and see him process the pain of it. Then he slides into something sweeter – a pool, a puff, a holiday, or a hook-up. While he laughs and dances and makes his mirth contagious, the ache sinks beneath the surface. Moondog becomes a metaphor for the human condition, where we are painfully aware of the horrors of life and our own mortality, yet persevere to find joy anyway. In that way, The Beach Bum is glorious inspiration. But more than that it is a spirited sermon.

Looks like the actor does an alright, alright, alright job of bringing some weight to the carefree character in her eyes. Overall, The Beach Bum has a 53% Tomatometer score and from these reviews I’d say the enjoyment of the movie will really depend on if the viewer is up for sitting through a lot of crazy parties, over the top moments from McConaughey and … a coke-addicted parrot.

The Beach Bum arrives in theaters on March 29. Will you be checking it out?

Dark Phoenix Final Trailer Shows Off New, Dark Powers For Jean Grey

Dark Phoenix Final Trailer Shows Off New, Dark Powers For Jean Grey

Breaking news: a random mutant sighting has been reported this morning, and it’s a pretty big one. That’s right, Fox has dropped another trailer for Dark Phoenix, and it's all about Jean Grey and her newer, darker powers. Better still, this is probably the best trailer for the latest, and probably the last X-Men film we'll see for a while. But don't take my word for it, as you can see for yourself below:

Perhaps the greatest asset this trailer for Dark Phoenix presents is the fact that we see a clear line of story for Jean's ascendence into darkness. From the shuttle rescue that she and the rest of the crew are sent to execute, straight to her confrontation with Magneto, we see some slick storytelling at work.

Of course, there are quite a bit of powers that are used to tell that story as well, and we see Jean not only absorb the alien power force that will turn her into the Phoenix, but she also deflects lightning attacks launched by Storm, and even shatters Magneto's helmet into pieces. That's some pretty damned powerful mutation at work there.

While the usual gang of young X-Men are on display (we see Storm, Nightcrawler, and Cyclops all strutting their stuff), it's Sophie Turner's Jean Grey that's definitely ruling the show here. Seeing what we've got in front of us with this final trailer, her big moments with Michael Fassbender's Magneto and even James McAvoy's Professor Xavier look to be some of the most powerful stuff in the series.

Just the scene where she confronts Magneto "threatening her" speaks volumes on the potential that this film has to close out this chapter of X-Men history in a strong, satisfying manner.

As we've also seen in Dark Phoenix trailers of (future) past, Jean Grey is indeed going through a bit of a crisis. Something so big that the mysterious Jessica Chastain is trying to spur it on, and the rest of the X-Men universe is still trying to decide how to handle. It all comes to a head in director Simon Kinberg's big summer blockbuster, as the other side of Jean we started to see in X-Men: Apocalypse's big finale is shining through in full force. And may the spirit of Stan Lee help anyone who gets in her way.

The kitchen sink is proverbially thrown in Dark Phoenix, as there looks to be quite a bit of heartache heading our way, with Jennifer Lawrence’s Mystique being one of the many victims we should expect in this final installment of the series’ revitalization that started with 2011’s X-Men: First Class.

It’s truly an end of an era, and it looks like Dark Phoenix is planning to close this saga out with some heavy firepower.

Dark Phoenix marks the end of the X-Men saga as we know it on June 7th. Though that shouldn't stop you from taking the 2019 release schedule and finding some super-powered and/or more grounded delights to take in at the movies!

Spider-Man: Far From Home's Trailer Has A Cool Easter Egg Tying To Peter Parker's Origin

Spider-Man: Far From Home's Trailer Has A Cool Easter Egg Tying To Peter Parker's Origin

When Spider-Man was rebooted for the MCU, we didn’t get another cinematic depiction of the character’s origin. Tony Stark and the audience met Peter Parker when he had already been Spider-Man for six months, and that meant no radioactive spider bite, no Uncle Ben death and no testing out of his powers. But Marvel movies are treasure troves for eagle-eyed fans, and the most recent trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home has a cool Easter egg tying to Peter Parker’s origin. Check it out:

In this frame from the trailer, Happy Hogan is telling Peter Parker that he shouldn’t ghost Nick Fury, but this humorous exchange isn’t the only thing of note. Behind Happy is a poster for wrestler Crusher Hogan. If that name doesn’t sound familiar to you, Crusher Hogan is the wrestler that Peter Parker tussled with in the comics not long after he got his powers.

Joseph “Crusher” Hogan was a shoot wrestler that offered $100 (as you can see on the sign) to whoever could last in the ring with him for three minutes. Sadly for Crusher Hogan, a young Peter Parker wanting to test his new powers took him up on the challenge. In the first formal use of his abilities, Peter wore a mask to hide his identity and proceeded to humiliate and defeat Crusher Hogan in the ring.

This was basically the role that Randy Savage’s "Bonesaw" McGraw fulfilled in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, but Crusher Hogan was the comic book inspiration for the Macho Man's character.

We may have never gotten to see Tom Holland’s Peter Parker go through this part of his origin, but this poster in Spider-Man: Far From Home is a fun Easter Egg that honors that origin and hints that it may have indeed happened in this universe. It’s also funny that the character in the frame with the wrestler’s poster is Happy Hogan, who shares a last name with the Crusher.

Who knows, maybe Happy and Crusher are related in this universe. If so, maybe Peter did wrestle Crusher Hogan and Happy was either there to witness it or heard about it from his family member afterward. That could be how Spider-Man first got on Tony Stark’s radar; he got a tip from Happy. It would also explain why this poster is here, years after that match would have theoretically happened.

It’s intriguing to think about and maybe Spider-Man: Far From Home will shed some light on it. But even if it is nothing more than an Easter egg, it’s still a cool one that ties back to the character’s lowly beginnings, long after he has fought aliens in space.

This Easter egg wasn’t the only point of discussion to come out of the new Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer. The reveal that the events of Avengers: Endgame have brought the multiverse to the MCU is huge and has major implications for this universe going forward.

We’ll see the beginning of those repercussions when Spider-Man: Far From Home brings Phase 3 to a close on July 2. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all the biggest movies headed to theaters this summer.

Disney Family Member Calls CEO’s Salary ‘Insane’

Disney Family Member Calls CEO’s Salary ‘Insane’

It's not exactly news that CEO's of large companies get paid quite well. Bob Iger, as the Chief Executive Officer of the Walt Disney Company gets paid more than most. In fact his total compensation in 2018 was around $65 million. One member of the Disney family finds that amount "insane."

Abigail Disney is the granddaughter of Roy O. Disney, the brother of Walt and the co-founder of the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, the company that would eventually become The Walt Disney Company. She speaks out on corporate responsibility frequently and has never let the company she shares a name with off that particular hook. Her issues with Iger's salary don't appear to be tied to the gross income, but rather how much more Iger makes than the average employee of the company he oversees. According to Disney...

Let me very clear. I like Bob Iger. I do NOT speak for my family but only for myself. Other than owning shares (not that many) I have no more say in what happens there than anyone else. But by any objective measure a pay ratio over a thousand is insane

In a study recently conducted by the company Equilar (via Fast Company), they found that Bob Iger's income as CEO is 1,424 times that of the average Disney employee. While Iger isn't the highest paid CEO on the list, his pay ratio compared to the average employee is.

With theme park employees making up a large portion of the company's "average employees" it's certainly easier for Iger's salary to look that much bigger compared to other major corporations who don't have a lot of employees making low wages. Having said that, Disney's theme park employees currently start at double the federal minimum wage.

Money is always a sensitive issue, it's one of those things that we all need and most of us don't have enough of. Iger has overseen the Walt Disney Company during an unprecedented era of success. Nearly every corner of the company has been performing successfully. The film division makes blockbuster after blockbuster while the theme parks continue to post growth as well. Disney has now successfully acquired 21st Century Fox, which will be a major benefit as the company stands on the verge of releasing its own dedicated streaming service, opening up another avenue for revenue.

For what it's worth, Iger will actually be making a bit less this year than he did last year. The company has adjusted the CEO's compensation for this year in a way that will result in him making about $13.5 million less than he did in 2018.

The question of what is "acceptable" CEO pay is not a question that is going to have an easy answer and it's not one everybody is going to agree with. What is clear is that the Walt Disney Company has been incredibly successful and shows no signs of slowing down.

Lego Batman's Ralph Fiennes Would Love To Play Alfred In Live-Action

Lego Batman's Ralph Fiennes Would Love To Play Alfred In Live-Action

The DC live-action universe is in a fascinating place right now. While all hope seemed lost after the performance of Justice League, Warner Bros quickly recovered, and restructured the shared universe. With less of a focus on serialized storytelling, the studio is allowing directors to tell more capsulated and crossover-free stories. James Wan's Aquaman has been a massive success, and there are a ton of exciting projects coming down the pipeline, including Matt Reeves' The Batman.

The Batman solo flick has been in development for years, with Ben Affleck originally set to star and direct in the blockbuster. It's unclear when production might begin, as there are a variety of characters that need to be cast, including the Dark Knight himself. Does this also mean that Jeremy Irons is out as Alfred? It's unclear, although actor Ralph Fiennes is definitely interest in the part, especially after voicing the the beloved butler in The Lego Batman Movie. As he recently said:

Yes, yes. I'd love to play Alfred. A lot of good people have gone before me, so I'd be happy to follow in their footsteps.

While giving his respect to the Alfred Pennyworth actors who came before him, Ralph Fiennes has made his intentions clear: he would absolutely love to play the character in live-action. And considering how unclear Batman's future in the DCEU is, now is a good time to make those ambitions known.

Ralph Fiennes' comments HeyUGuys is sure to excite his many fans, who would love to see the actor on the silver screen as Bruce Wayne's father figure and caretaker. Fiennes has had a long and impressive career, so he's got the acting chops to bring heart to Alfred Pennyworth. He would hypothetically take the role from Jeremy Irons, who played a surprisingly badass version of Alfred in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League. Of course, there's been no word on Irons' continued involvement in the shared universe.

Ralph Fiennes is currently playing another mentor in a major film franchise, as he's the reigning M in the James Bond movies. When Judi Dench's character was killed off in Skyfall, Fiennes' character took on the mantle, and is running MI6. He would be doubly badass to also inhabit Alfred Pennworth in The Batman, although that's just wishful thinking at this point. Matt Reeves' plans for the still developing blockbuster are a total mystery to the general public.

Ralph Fiennes voiced the role of Alfred in The Lego Batman Movie, and had some really hilarious moments with the title character. One really funny scene included him referencing every single movie version of Batman, so clearly Fiennes has done his homework. As such, he's able to pay respects to the previous Alfreds like Jeremy Irons, Michael Caine, Alan Napier, and Michael Gough. Now we'll just have to see if Fiennes ever gets to make into live-action as the character.

The Batman is currently set to arrive in theaters on June 25th, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Star Wars Galaxy's Edge: Everything We Know About Walt Disney World's New Land

Star Wars Galaxy's Edge: Everything We Know About Walt Disney World's New Land

Star Wars' existence in Disney theme parks actually pre-dates the company's purchase of Lucasfilm, but everybody knew it was only a matter of time once the purchase happened before Star Wars' presence saw a massive increase in Anaheim and Orlando. That is set to happen later this year when Walt Disney World in Florida, and also Disneyland in California, see a major upgrade in the form of a new land called Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.

While we won't get to really see or truly experience Star Wars Galaxy's Edge until the land opens later this year, there's still a lot that has been revealed about the new area and what it will contain. Here's everything that we know about the newest part of the Disney parks.

When Star Wars Galaxy's Edge Will Open

Originally, Walt Disney World had been given a window of Late Fall 2019 for the opening of Star Wars; Galaxy's Edge with Disneyland set to open in the summer of the same year. This meant a lot of people were surprised when the actual opening dates were revealed as Disneyland was announced to see the land open May 31 with Walt Disney World following on August 29.

There's a catch however. With the earlier date it was announced that only one of the E-ticket attractions, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run would be open to the public. The other attraction, Rise of the Resistance will come later as part of a second phase opening. No date was given for when that will happen beyond both parks seeing phase two come sometime in 2019. It seems likely each park will see the second attraction close to the original opening date.

How To Get Into Galaxy's Edge

With the popularity that Disneyland and Walt Disney World already have, combined with the popularity of Star Wars, it's clear that Galaxy's Edge is going to be a popular place when it opens. However, Disney is doing what it can to alleviate crowds.

For the first three weeks of Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland, May 31 to June 22, a separate reservation will be necessary to access the new land. On May 2 reservations were made available to the general public, but they were all taken in less than two hours. Now, the only way to get in during that opening period is by booking a stay at a Disneyland resort hotel. A hotel reservation will get you access to a four hour long reservation at Galaxy's Edge during one day of your hotel stay.

Once the reservation period has ended a "virtual queueing system" will be utilized to prevent a standby liner from forming.

There has been no reservation system announced for Disney's Hollywood Studios.

How Galaxy's Edge Will Be Different

One of the ways that Star Wars Galaxy's Edge will be a unique land for a Disney park is that it is being designed to feel, in its entirety, like it exists as a planet in the Star Wars Universe. The idea is that this isn't simply a space in a theme park that looks like Star Wars, but an actual part of Star Wars canon, just like any movie. The name of that planet is Batuu. It can be found on the outer edge of the galaxy, thus the name of the land, but is also a location of importance to both the Resistance and The First Order. We've never seen Batuu before, as it's a brand new creation by Disney. However, the Star Wars multimedia machine has already begun to sprinkle the location throughout other forms of Star Wars media as a way to prepare us for the planet.

Of course, even Disney's largest single land expansion ever isn't going to feel like it's actually a whole planet, so the focus will actually be a single settlement on that planet

Black Spire Outpost

While Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge will exist on its own planet, the focus of the land will be on a specific place on that planet. Named for the petrified trees that have transformed into the planet's unique geology, Black Spire Outpost will be the hub of activity where guests will find the attractions, the restaurants, and the merchandise available for sale. The Black Spires actually received a reference in Solo: A Star Wars Story, showing that this new area will be intimately tied to the larger Star Wars universe.

Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run

There will be two E-ticket attractions as part of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. The most exciting is probably the one that will put you in the pilot seat of the Millennium Falcon. Within the story of the ride, Pirate Hondo Ohnaka, known to Star Wars fans from his appearances in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Rebels animated series, has made a deal with Chewbacca. He will help fund a refurbishment on the Falcon if Chewie will let him use it to run some less than legal goods through the galaxy. As a guest, you're actually a freelance smuggler, looking to make some cash by signing up to work for Hondo.

Groups of six riders will be given one of three crew positions, pilot, gunner, or engineer. When it comes time to actually do your flying, It isn't just a ride. Guests will have to actively use the controls in the Millennium Falcon cockpit in order to successfully execute the mission. If gunners don't fire fast enough, the Falcon will take damage. If that happens, engineers may have to extinguish fires.

While it apparently won't be possible to completely fail the mission, different outcomes are possible. You'll even be able to see the damage that you've done. With numerous possibilities for the ride, the re-rideability of the attraction looks to be quite high, even if you weren't simply looking to fly the Falcon again and again, although who wouldn't want to do that?

Rise Of The Resistance

The other major attraction at Star Wars Galaxy's Edge is an attraction that will put you in the middle of a battle between The Resistance and the First Order. Rise of the Resistance will see guests become members of the Resistance and go on a mission on their behalf before being captured by a First Order Star Destroyer. Then guests get into trackless ride vehicles for an escape that promises to be one of the biggest and most exciting rides of any theme park ever.

Rise of the Resistance is the marquee attraction of Star Wars Galaxy's Edge. It's biggest selling point may be that the attraction is simply massive. Based on the description the experience will have multiple segments that will see guests both walking and riding between them. A resistance flight deck with full-sized X-Wings will be in one area. While full size First Order AT-ATs will be in another.

In addition to the awesome set pieces, guests will also feel like they're part of the Star Wars universe because several characters from the current trilogy will also be part of Rise of the Resistance. Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Adam Driver have all recorded scenes that will be part of it all.

The Food

One of the highlights of any Disney vacation is all the great food the park has on offer and we can be sure that Star Wars Galaxy's Edge will not be an exception. It has been confirmed that blue milk will be on offer, as well as countless other delicacies of the galaxy far, far away. Black Spire Station will also have a cantina available. There will also be a table service restaurant as well as a separate quick serve-type establishment. This is likely going to be a tough reservation to get, as many will surely want to eat in the galaxy far, far away.

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge will also bring what may be the single biggest change to Disneyland in its entire history as it will be the first place alcohol has ever been available to the general public. Star Wars themed cocktails as well as a selection of wine and beer made exclusively for Galaxy's Edge will be available at Oga's Cantina. You can bet finding a seat will be tough there, in fact, the word is the layout has been designed mostly for standing room for simply that reason, so that more people will be able to fit in the space. If nothing else, you'll be able to listen to some solid music as RX-24, or R3X, the original Star Tours pilot, has found a new job as a DJ.

Docking Bay 7 will be the table service restaurant at Black Spire Station. Recognizable by the transport ship on the roof, Docking Bay 7 is the home of Chef Strono “Cookie” Tuggs, who honed his craft at the castle of one Maz Kanata before taking his show on the road and finding himself on Batuu.

Ronto Roasters will be the quick service food location, providing roasted meat that's been cooked on what used to be a pod racing engine. Considering that the Big Thunder Ranch BBQ restaurant used to be on the location of Galaxy's Edge, it's a nice way to pay homage to the popular spot that we no longer have.

There are a couple of other places to grab a bite or something to drink. Kat Saka's Kettle will offer a variety of flavored popcorn. There will also be a Milk Stand allowing you to try the popular blue or green milk from the Star Wars universe. These beverages will actually be fruit flavored smoothie's when you find them on Batuu.

The Merchandise

Nobody knows how to sell stuff quite like Disney and no place is the company better at it than inside the theme parks. However, merchandise is where one of the more interesting aspects of Star Wars Galaxy's Edge comes in. Rather than being full of t-shirts and ball caps with the Star Wars logo like you might expect, none of that will actually be available inside the new land. Instead, the shops will be part of the lands theming, containing only the sorts of items you might expect to find in an alien marketplace. There will certainly be plenty of clothes and toys, but only items designed to look like they came from Batuu.

The highlight of the cool stuff on display is likely the shop that will let you buld your own lightsaber. This is going to be serious business as you'll need to schedule a time for your lightsaber build. There will be many different options to choose from that will let you build a blade in your own special way. Expect to pay something around $100 just for the hilt, and $50 more if you actually want to be able to attach a blade. But it sounds like the final product will look like something you see in the movies, so that will likely make things worth it.

A droid building shop will be available, allowing you to build your own remote controlled R2 or BB unit, and who doesn't want of those.

There will be a toy shop, run by a Toydarian, because why not. It will house plush dolls that look like your favorite Star Wars characters, because they've become famous throughout the galaxy,

There will also be clothing shops so that you can dress like a member of either the Resistance or the First Order. There will actually be different shops depending on which side you want to join, because, again, the storytelling is even built into the shopping.

The Technology

While we know a little about the big things that Star Wars Galaxy's Edge has planned, what Disney Parks are better than anybody at is the small stuff, the little details that help flesh out the world so it feels real. Quite a few of those little details are hinted at in the form of patents that Disney has filed for in recent months. We've seen one that could create the look of blaster fire, and another that could create holograms in an attraction. Based on descriptions, it sounds like both of these will be used as part of the Rise of the Resistance ride.

However, what may be even more interesting is the way Disney is going to use your smartphone to create an even more immersive Star Wars experience. Via the existing Play Disney Parks app, a whole host of new experiences will be available to guests.

One game will let you use your phone to "hack" surveillance boxes set up around Black Spire Station by the First Order. Once hacked, you can either deactivate them, to help the Resistance or reactivate them to help the First Order.

You'll also be able to use the app to translate Aurebesh writing found throughout Batuu, a lot of things won't be in English, since nobody on Batuu speaks the language.

You'll also be able to use the app to pick up and complete odd jobs. These can also be handled in different ways and the decisions you make will help dictate whether you end up joining the First Order or the Resistance.

In addition, the events of some of the attractions will also carry over into other aspects of the land. If you bring the Millennium Falcon back in less than ideal condition from Smuggler's Run, then a bartender might make reference to that when you visit the cantina.

The Hotel

One thing that won't be opening in the late fall of 2019 at Walt Disney World, but is on its way, is a special Star Wars-themed hotel that will be attached to Galaxy's Edge. More than simply being a place to keep your stuff while you're in the park, the hotel is set to be an attraction unto itself, where guests check in for a set number of days for an all-inclusive, completely immersive, Star Wars experience. You'll be able to dress the part and interact with other guests and staff as if you were on board a starship flying through the galaxy, far, far away. It sounds like nothing anybody has ever experienced and we can't wait to check in.

Needless to say, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is promising a lot. With Disney's history, there's a good chance it will be successful in pretty much everything it wants to do. The only real question is, just how insane will the crowds be when it opens and how much of a problem will those crowds be in trying to enjoy the immersive Star Wars world. We'll find out later this year.