Millennium Falcon lands at Disneyland, aerial photos show
The skeleton of the full-size smuggling ship is seen under construction in new aerial photos.
The Millennium Falcon has begun docking procedure at Disneyland -- well, at least its frame has.
The iconic spaceship can be seen emerging amid ongoing construction at Disney's Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in aerial images published by NearMap. The images, captured from above the north side of the Anaheim, California, park on Sept. 30, show exterior panels being installed on the skeleton of the full-size Corellian YT-1300 light freighter as it's parked in its semicircular spaceport.
The ship will be the centerpiece of the park's new, immersive Star Wars experience, which promises new stories, creatures, smells and plenty of high-tech effects that will bring the fantasy universe to life. Slated to open in 2019, the new "themed land" will include two rides and even a cantina serving alcoholic drinks. It's a popular place for those seeking to avoid the authorities.
Galaxy's Edge is born out of a collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering and Lucasfilm to create a whole new planet and backstory for the themed land. At Galaxy's Edge, guests are on the planet Batuu in an area called the Black Spire Outpost -- a crossroads for travelers, adventurers and smugglers in the Outer Rim region of space.
Disney describes it as a haven for the galaxy's most colorful and notorious characters. It's a place to avoid the expanding reach of the First Order, the evil faction headed by Snoke and Kylo Ren from the latest films.
The Millennium Falcon ride will essentially be a flight simulator, allowing riders to fly Han Solo's famous ship, flip switches and shoot its blasters. Disney is working with Nvidia to develop new technology that can render graphics for the ride in real time.
Riders' performance commanding the Millennium Falcon will affect not only the end of the ride but also impact interactions outside the ride. Flying with skill be rewarded, while bringing the ship in banged up could make you a target of a bounty hunter named Harko.
Check out everything we know about the galaxy, which hopefully isn't so far far away.
CNET's Bridget Carey contributed to this report.
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