Disneyland Tests Out Droids at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
Droid Alley at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in Disneyland
Disneyland is leveling up the technology when it comes to the park's Star Wars-themed attractions.
According to new intel from Disney Imagineering, the park is currently testing out real-life droids to traverse Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge—and from the looks of it, they're quite realistic.
"The robots actually learn to imitate artistic motion—that’s the secret sauce to make them work so quickly," said Moritz Bächer, associate lab director at Disney Research.
"They can actually emote and learn to dance," he explained. "They can get really angry and the eyes turn red. They walk over uneven terrain. They can still balance. They're really robust."
Batuu's new free-roaming visitors—currently dubbed "droids-in-training"—are expected to interact with guests visiting the park, and despite being in a "play test" mode at the moment, they could potentially expand as more data is collected about their performance, said Joel Peavy, an executive R&D Imagineer for Disney, per Deadline.
The preview is currently underway at the Anaheim, California resort, though Galaxy's Edge also boasts a location in Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World resort in Orlando, Florida.
While visiting the Star Wars-themed land, guests are be able to travel to a galaxy far, far away and see some of their favorite parts of the beloved movies come to life. Among the most thrilling attractions is the Millennium Falcon, where guests can embark on a smuggling mission aboard the fictional starship. They can also join the Resistance in a battle against the First Order on the exciting ride, Rise of the Resistance.
Even the food gives guests an out-of-this-world experience, as they can sip on the blue or green milk that Luke Skywalker famously drank in the films, or grab a bite of a delicious grilled "Ronto Roaster."
Plus, park visitors can pick up all sorts of Star Wars merch, including custom-made lightsabers and unique galactic artifacts.
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