Disney has set opening dates for its highly anticipated Star Wars-themed parks.
The company, at its annual shareholders meeting Thursday and on its company blog, said guests would be able to begin exploring the galaxy far, far away this summer. Guests at California’s Disneyland will be the first to experience the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge attraction when it opens May 31. Orlando’s Disney World will open its version of the park after the summer rush on Aug. 29.
The openings come earlier than many people expected, but they will be a work in progress. Only one major attraction—Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run—will be open. The other marquee rise—Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance—will come later this year.
“In light of tremendous demand, Disney made the decision to open the land in phases to allow guests to sooner enjoy the one-of-a-kind experiences that make Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge so spectacular,” the company said in a blog post.
Anticipating monster crowds, Disney is taking an unusual step with the new section of the park, requiring Disneyland guests to make a no-cost reservation to enter it in addition to a regular theme park admission ticket. Details on how to do that will be revealed at a later date.
As it prepares for those crowds, Disney is also expecting higher theme park revenues. The company raised its ticket prices by 8% in January
