Disney Announces Star Wars Premiere Party at Walt Disney World

October 18, 2015, 8:54 PM · Walt Disney World is offering Star Wars fans a new hard-ticket event on the evening of the premiere of the new Star Wars movie, in December.

Star Wars poster
The new 'Star Wars' poster, released today.

Prices range from $94.99-99.99 and include a confirmed seat for a showing of Star Wars: The Force Awakens at the AMC Disney Springs theaters on Dec. 17., plus a Star Wars-themed afterparty at Disney's Hollywood Studios until 2am. Movie showings start at 7pm and will be available in 3D and 3D ETX in addition to traditional 2D, which accounts for the higher-priced tickets.

Disney will provide transportation from Disney Springs to the Studios for event participants, but it won't provide transportation back from the Studios to Disney Springs, so that's really only useful to Disney Resort guests who can catch a bus ride back to their hotel from the Studios. For participants who drive themselves to the Studios for the afterparty, parking at the Studios is included in the ticket price.


Four years ago, when Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part Two premiered, Universal Orlando allowed visitors who bought tickets to see the midnight premiere at CityWalk free admission into a two-hour surprise afterparty at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter following that show. (For what it's worth, we'd actually suggested before the premiere that Universal make that a hard-ticket event around it. Now Disney's actually gone any done it!)

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey was not running during that Universal's surprise event, but Disney is promising that Star Tours: The Adventurers Continue and the Star Wars Launch Bay will open during its event, and that there will be a preview of the Studio's new Star Wars-themed fireworks show, as well.

Tickets go on sale Monday on AMC's website. Disney will release the next trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens during the halftime of Monday Night Football on Disney-owned ESPN Monday evening.

Replies (10)

October 18, 2015 at 11:15 PM · Sounds like a great event for locals and WDW guests. I would definitely buy myself a ticket if I were in the Orlando area during those dates. While it is an expensive event, I´m glad to hear that at least parking for the Studios is included in the ticket price.
October 19, 2015 at 12:09 AM · Imagine if the movie winds up being a flop. Oh, man.
October 19, 2015 at 1:35 AM · Not going to do it.
Sure I'll watch the movie (not the 17th but later) but I'm not buying an overpriced ticket for a sad excuse of an event.
October 19, 2015 at 3:51 AM · Yes!!! I will totally go!!!

Except I have a family who wouldn't be very interested in this type of thing. And I have friends who are also big Star Wars geeks who I really wanted to see the movie with but probably can't afford this event. And I have a busy schedule that would probably prohibit me from going. (Sigh)...first world problems...

But hey, if it weren't for those factors, I would so totally attend this event! Reading about it made me all tingly with excitement!

October 19, 2015 at 4:44 AM · I would consider it if the last 3 movies weren't so dysmal.
October 19, 2015 at 6:54 AM · Being a local, I dont see anything exciting about it. I'm a huge Star Wars fan but they aren't giving the fans something that they wont already be able to do if we wait a few days/weeks. Nope, Ill be watching this movie in Orlando at the largest Imax screen in Florida.
October 19, 2015 at 7:19 AM · Yeah I'm with Gene, I'd rather see the movie in IMAX.
October 19, 2015 at 8:03 AM · "Imagine if the movie winds up being a flop."

Then they should sell more hard ticket events before the word gets out.

I highly doubt it though. I felt the new trilogy (episodes 1 to 3) were pretty bad, but it survived critically with largely good reviews and the box office receipts broke new records. Yet I haven't seen it again after enduring it the first time. It won't be a flop especially with J.J. Abrams directing it and George Lucas no longer making any creative decisions. Thank goodness. If only they can bring back the original trilogy without any enhancements.

October 19, 2015 at 9:02 AM · "$94.99-99.99" Is that really the price range? Seems extremely cheap for a Disney event.

Opening day events aren't really my thing, but that seems like a good deal to get a guaranteed opening day seat for the biggest movie of the year. Has anyone started camping out yet?

October 21, 2015 at 8:13 AM · Im there that week...tried to two days and never got through and now they are sold out...bummed.

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