Star Wars Reveals Working Retractable Lightsaber for Galactic Starcruiser

Disney Parks is celebrating Star War Day by offering an update on the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser resort and revealing the fully retractable lightsabers used at the site. Disney released a video that show's one of the parks' Rey actors wielding the lightsaber. You can take a look at the video below to see Rey's glowing blue blade emerge from the lightsaber's hilt. In the past, Star Wars fans have had to choose between a simple plastic version that can extend from the handle or a sturdier replica that lights up. This new model combines the best features of both. Here's how Disney describes the lightsaber and its role in the Galactic Starcruiser experience in a press release:

"Yes, that's a new type of lightsaber Rey is holding in her hand, created by Walt Disney Imagineering Research and Development. Guests who experience Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will be the first to see it in action – along with so much more – starting in 2022 when this amazing new two-night adventure debuts. Watching that lightsaber activate right before your eyes will be just one of the countless ways that, from the moment you arrive to the moment you depart, you'll be plunged into a Star Wars story where your decisions and actions – or even the casual conversations you may have – determine how your personal journey unfolds."

Interestingly, the release doesn't say that guests will be able to purchase these lightsabers. It's unclear if they're designed for the cast alone or if fans can take them home as a souvenir from their journey to Galactic Starcruiser. Rumors of the new lightsaber model surfaced last month.

Galactic Starcruiser is a two-night experience for guests. The resort becomes the starship Halcyon, known for trips to exotic locales. Guests stay in well-furnished cabins and dine aboard the vessel. They can also visit the Black Spire Outpost on the planet Batuu. Throughout their stay, guests can participate in activities and interact with characters, crew, and other passengers aboard the ship to join a broader but personal Star Wars story. This kind of new technology should help immerse guests in the Star Wars universe. Here are some more details.

Disney Parks also says the view from the ship resort's windows will change as guests travel through the galaxy. Halcyon houses several hidden rooms where guests can hide secrets or hold meetings. Disney says choices made by guests during their stay will affect how the story plays out.

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser opens in 2022.