A Galaxy Far, Far Away Is Coming To Disneyland Paris, Allegedly
Where do you go after a film saga's original theatrical run, numerous director's cuts, alternate scenes, CGI updates, 3D conversions and an endless production line of tie-in videogames, toy figures and licensed merchandise? If you're George Lucas, you turn your sights on bringing the people a chance to experience the universe first-hand with a Star Wars-themed land in Disneyland Paris.
Though the plans allegedly being made by Disney Imagineers in bringing such a place to the Mouse
House's Paris branch currently only reside in rumours currently working their way through internet forums and the like, the drawn-up ideas behind it are both extensive and believable in that Disneyland Paris is due to revamp the existing Star Tours attraction for its sequel, Star Tours: The Adventure Continues soon. Harnessing the success of the ride, along with the huge pull of the Star Wars license to construct a part of the galaxy far, far away within the walls of DLP would make perfect sense.
The rumour that was first seen on the Disneyland Paris forums has now been discussed in more detail by a blog that goes by the name of Disney and More. It's here where things get interesting, and yet a little hazy in their authenticity. Supposedly, the plans currently being worked on behind closed doors incorporate a little more than just putting a fresh lick of paint on Star Tours for its successor, but also that of transforming the Captain EO theatre in favour of a kid-friendly Jedi Academy (like the one currently enjoying success at Disney Hollywood Studios) and, here's the biggie, converting the Pizza Planet restaurant into Tatooine's most popular joint Mos Eisley Cantina.
As the writer of Disney and More explains, recreating the restaurant shouldn't be too big of an issue; though it'll be in the intricate little details of George Lucas's universe where the attraction could really come alive. Imagine DLP staff dressed as the many alien species that populate the bar, animatronic 
creatures awaiting their owners presence outside, perhaps a full-scale land speeder or two outside the front door and a patch of desert landscaping surrounding the whole enclosure. In being a fully-functioning bar and restaurant, it'd be nice to think fans of the franchise will spend their time wisely in catching a bite to eat, all the while drinking away their memories of episodes one-through-three.
It's important not to take the information totally for granted however; the website, supposedly coming from a guy with connections to Disney Parks, looks horribly cheap and tacky, while the writing, grammar mistakes and punctuation leave something to be desired.
The image featured, I hasten to mention, is not what DLP Imagineers plan to achieve. Instead, it's a concept sketch by artist Tim Delaney, imagining what Space Mountain would look like as the Death Star and picturing a full-size Millenium Falcon under its shadow. Still, hopefully it gives them some ideas...
Richard Birkett
