Walt Disney Co.’s three hotels at Disneyland are selling out, with only $763-a-night rooms left for the May 31 opening day of the new Star Wars land.
In a first for Disney parks, the company is requiring reservations to enter Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge from opening day until June 23. Guests at the company’s hotels in Anaheim, California, will be guaranteed entry at a certain time. Disneyland.com will begin taking reservations for nonhotel guests at 10 a.m. Pacific time on May 2, the company said Monday.
Rooms that sleep up to five were available for $763 a night at the higher-end Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. No rooms were listed as available for opening day at the Disneyland Hotel or Paradise Pier Hotel. Spots at all three hotels were still available later that weekend for prices starting at $561.
Some hotel guests complained on Twitter that the company got the date or time wrong for their Star Wars reservations. The company said it’s working to solve the problems.
Disney plans to open Star Wars lands, its largest theme-park additions, at the original Disneyland park next month and at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida, on Aug. 29. The 14-acre lands include a ride on the Millennium Falcon space ship and a chance to immerse oneself in Star Wars imagery right down to the blue Bantha milk served at Oga’s Cantina.
Disney is taking steps to prevent scalping. Reservations will be void if transferred or sold, the Burbank, California-based company said. Guests over age 18 must show ID that matches their reservation.
It’s also taking steps to manage the crowds. A company fact sheet said guests in queues will have access to snacks, restrooms and cast interactions while waiting. The company has added new parking facilities with 7,500 spots, widened walkways and lowered curbs to accommodate the added guests.