ORLANDO, Fla. — Disney held a virtual news conference on Thursday to talk about the future of experiences at its theme parks, but the big jaw-dropping moment came at the end of the presentation.


What You Need To Know

  • Disney held virtual news conference with Parks chairman, Marvel Studios chief

  • Josh D'Amaro revealed a surprise to close out the presentation: a "real" lightsaber

  • Star Wars fans can currently build a lightsaber at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

​Disney Parks chairman Josh D’Amaro hosted the presentation and touched on topics such as the reopening of Disneyland Resort in California, upcoming Disney World attractions, and how new technology will shape guest experiences.

D’Amaro, along with Marvel Studio chief Kevin Feige, also revealed the opening date for Avengers Campus, the Marvel-themed land coming to Disney California Adventure.

Then, as D'Amaro gave the closing remarks, he lifted up a lightsaber, turned it on and said “it’s real” before the video ended. The way the light activated from the hilt was similar to how lightsabers activate in the Star Wars films.

“You never know what we’re going to come up with next,” D’Amaro said.

So far, no other details have been announced. And the video hasn’t been released.

In a blog post released after the presentation, D’Amaro briefly mentioned the Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development team and the work they are doing.

“I can’t wait to share more with you in the near future — this team is really pushing the boundaries of creativity, technology, and storytelling,” D’Amaro wrote.

The tease does bring up a few questions. How “real” is the lightsaber? Will the lightsaber be made available to the public? Will it be offered as part of the lightsaber training experience at Disney’s upcoming Star Wars hotel, Galactic Starcruiser?

Disney has filed patents in the past for lightsaber-related technology. And visitors to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge can build their own lightsabers at Savi’s Workshop. Those lightsabers feature a heavier hilt made out of metal.

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