Disney Unleashes Cute Star Wars Droids Into Theme Parks

By Sckylar Gibby-Brown | Published 1 year ago

It’s been four years since Galaxy’s Edge opened at the Disney parks in Florida and California, and while the planet of Batuu is a fully immersive park, this planet in the galaxy far, far away was missing something essential. While the rides, sets, and actors in Disney’s Star Wars Land are impressive, it was high time Disney released a real-life version of the Star Wars universe’s famous droids. Now, according to Entertainment Weekly, Batuu has its own set of cute little droids roaming around the park, and you can see these robots in training in the TikTok videos below:

A new program at Disneyland, “droids-in-training,” brings interactive robots straight from the Star Wars universe into the park.

Star Wars droids have come to life at Disney’s Star Wars-themed Galaxy’s Edge, thanks to Disney Imagineering. The entertainment company introduced its latest innovation, the “droids-in-training,” an endearing and interactive set of robots that have taken Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge in Anaheim by storm.

These irresistibly adorable free-roaming droids have been in development for quite some time, but now they’re ready to interact with eager park guests. Moritz Bächer, associate lab director at Disney Research, shared the secret behind their lifelike movements, saying that the Star Wars droids learn to imitate motion, including how to emote and dance. This technology enables the droids to express a range of emotions and even mimic artistic movements, providing visitors with a unique and immersive experience. 

The debut of the Star Wars droids marks the fulfillment of a long-anticipated promise made by Disney when they first teased the Galaxy’s Edge projects in 2015.

In one of the videos, the Star Wars droids can be seen grooving to the beat and flashing glowing eyes when displeased. According to Bächer, the droids have been designed to get adorably angry, and when they do, their eyes turn red. In addition to dancing and emoting, the robots are designed specifically to be able to walk on uneven ground and not fall over.

Another video showcases a trio of Star Wars droids actively listening to commands from a Disneyland cast member, responding by turning around to face guests in perfect unison. The level of interaction and realism these droids achieve is astonishing, offering parkgoers an even more immersive experience on Batuu.

Joel Peavy, an executive R&D Imagineer for Disney, described the Star Wars droids as being in a “play test” phase. He expressed the team’s excitement about witnessing guests’ reactions and hinted at the potential for further developments. The droids are currently on display at Disneyland’s Galaxy’s Edge in California, but they’ll likely show up at the Walt Disney World location in Florida as well.

Moritz Bächer, associate lab director at Disney Research, shared the secret behind their lifelike movements, saying that the Star Wars droids learn to imitate motion, including how to emote and dance.

The debut of the Star Wars droids marks the fulfillment of a long-anticipated promise made by Disney when they first teased the Galaxy’s Edge projects in 2015. Fans and visitors have eagerly awaited the addition of these droids to the Star Wars-themed lands, and now that they’re here, the reveal has not disappointed.

Disney’s new droids-in-training at Galaxy’s Edge have invited Star Wars fans into an even more magical and immersive world than ever known before. The Star Wars droids have become an instant hit, with their lifelike movements, emotional expressiveness, and fun interaction with guests. As the “play test” phase unfolds, the possibilities for the future of these droids are as limitless as who knows what the Imagineering team will dream up next.