A long time ago, long before the chance to pop a VR headset on and see if you could be a Stormtrooper, the only way to experience anything Star Was related was to have a figurine, make your own lightsaber out of toilet roll tubes or just watch the films on old VHS until they wore out.
Nowadays, you can experience Star Wars in ways that even those making the original movies couldn’t have imagined; from riding the Millennium Falcon yourself to seeing if you can build an x-wing from start to finish.
Here are some the amazing ways you can experience Star Wars today:
Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland & Disney World
In terms of theme park attractions, this mini-park opening at both North American parks is a big deal. Galaxy’s Edge has quickly become a runaway hit in Anaheim having only opened a few months ago, but the second version opening in Florida is going to be HUGE (especially for families coming over on holiday from Europe).
Galaxy’s Edge has been designed meticulously to look as close to living in the Star Wars Galaxy as possible. The mini-park has a droid depot, workshop to build your own lightsaber, a cantina, market stalls and food that wouldn’t look out of place in the movies.
The big attraction though is Smuggler’s Run, a ride where your team has to pilot the Millennium Falcon through to hyperspace.
Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire
One second you’re standing in a shopping mall in Las Vegas, the next you’re jumping off a ship in Mustafar while pretending to be a Stormtrooper so you can get intelligence for the rebellion while fighting off lava monsters.
Secrets of the Empire is a fully immersive VR Experience that has you wearing a VR helmet and backpack while walking through an augmented reality maze. It’s a step beyond what most of us have experience with playing with VR and feels more “real” thanks to the backpack that will vibrate when you’re shot, or the rooms you’re in having obstacles you can feel even though they appear as something else entirely in VR.
There are several VOID locations dotted across the U.S. including Las Vegas, Atlanta and Anaheim, as well as three in Canada and one in Malaysia (see the full list here).
Build Your Own X Wing
Don’t worry; this isn’t going to take over your garage and garden. ModelSpace have all the pieces you need to build your very own 1:18 scale model of an X Wing. If you’re looking to turn your love of Star Wars into a hobby, this is ideal and will soon see you making space on the kitchen table to work on your removable hyperdrive and laser cannons.
They also have kits to build your own 1:2 scale R2-D2 or a 1:1 replica of the original Millennium Falcon prop from Empire Strikes Back.
Star Wars Experience at Madame Tussaud’s London
With meticulously made figures of 16 iconic characters, the Star Wars Experience at Madame Tussaud’s London is a mini-tour through some of the film’s most iconic locations and scenes like Jabba’s throne room and the swamps of Dagobah (I promise you don’t need to bring waterproof footwear).
The experience was recently updated to include Jakku with replicas of Rey and BB8, and it should be known that visiting the experience is included in standard tickets prices, so beware of websites selling tickets for just this exhibit.
The Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland
Finally, I thought it would be good to wrap up this short piece on Star Wars experience by getting some fresh air and heading to the beautiful west coast of Ireland. Several locations in this scenic part of the island have been used as locations in the latest trilogy. Skellig Michael in stunning County Kerry and idyllic Donegal in the north of Ireland have both seen Mark Hamill visit the local pubs to try some Guinness, and when you get the chance to visit some of the coastal locations they chose, you’ll quickly see what makes it such a beautiful place to film.
The official Ireland.com website has a handy guide of how to visit several of the locations.
