Star Wars: Disney unleashes its real-life lightsaber, and I need to own one

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Happy Star Wars Day, everybody!

Disney is kicking this year's celebration off right with the reveal of an official video for its real-life lightsaber replicas featuring blades that extend and retract, just like in the movies! Developed by Walt Disney Imagineering Research and Development and revealed last month at a private press event, the new lightsabers quickly became the talk of the Star Wars community. According to patent details filed in 2018, the 'real' lightsabers may contain some very fancy technology, so be prepared to open your wallet real wide when it comes time for these devices to be sold – if ever.

You can read the full description from the patent filing below:

A special effects device for providing an energy sword effect. The device includes two long plastic semi-cylinders, and these two blade body members are rolled perpendicular to their length, which creates compact cylinders of material of small volume that can be provided on a pair of spools in a hilt. To extend the blade, a motor provided in the hilt unrolls the blade body members from the spools. Each blade body member passes through a blade forming guideway that nests the semi-cylindrical blade body members together as they leave the hilt. To retract the blade, the process is reversed. The lighting of the blade is achieved with a flexible strip of light sources. The light source strip is attached to a blade end cap and positioned in the center of the two-blade body members such that it is pulled up along with the blade body members during their extension.

Today, as a part of this year's Star Wars Day celebration, the Disney Parks blog announced that the opening of Disney World's Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser resort would be delayed until 2022. While this is most definitely a bummer, it was also revealed that guests who experience Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser will be the first to see the new lightsaber in action. "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," says today's Disney Parks blog post.

Sadly, it sounds like it's going to be a while before just anybody can get their hands on the new lightsaber. In looking at today's announcement, the 'real' lightsabers will be first included as accessories of cast members portraying Star Wars characters around the park. That being said, it will be mine. Oh yes, it will be mine. I can't begin to imagine what a 'real' lightsaber will cost, but there's a large part of me that doesn't care. I need it. Who's with me? Who wants to draft a petition for Disney to release these beauties to the public? You've already got one signature.

Be sure to stay close as there are bound to be more announcements and surprises as Star Wars Day marches on. May the force be with you, always.