Stars Wars ‘Hyper-Reality’ Experience Coming To Disney Parks

Katie Gregerson   |  

Aug 4, 2017

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Disney is going all-in with Stars Wars attractions at its two biggest parks.

Less than a month after announcing Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Lucasfilm, ILMxLAB, and The VOID revealed plans for a new “hyper-reality” experience titled, “Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire.”

The attraction, a “free-roaming virtual reality experience,” will debut at Disneyland’s Downtown Disney and Walt Disney World’s Disney Springs. Curtis Hickman, co-founder and chief creative officer at The VOID, explained the concept:

At The VOID, we combine the magic of illusions, advanced technology and virtual reality to create fully immersive social experiences that take guests to new worlds. A truly transformative experience is so much more than what you see with your eyes; it’s what you hear, feel, touch, and even smell. Through the power of The VOID, guests who step into Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire won’t just see this world, they’ll know that they are part of this amazing story.

A virtual reality experience that uses all the senses? It certainly sounds like Disney is planning to do something never done before. Indeed, Vicki Dobbs Beck, executive in charge of the division of ILMxLAB tasked with creating the attraction, said they hope to “truly transport” people into the Star Wars universe:

At ILMxLAB, we want people to step inside the worlds of our stories. Through our collaboration with The VOID, we can make this happen as guests become active participants in an unfolding Star Wars adventure. By combining Lucasfilm’s storytelling expertise with cutting-edge imagery, and immersive sound from the team at Skywalker Sound, while invoking all the senses, we hope to truly transport all those who experience Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire to a galaxy far, far away.

There’s no word yet on what storylines or eras “Secrets of the Empire” will explore, but the inclusion of security droid K-2SO on the promotional art hints that it might take place during the Star Wars: Rogue One period.

Are you excited about this new immersive virtual reality experience? Share your comments below!