Star Wars movie premiere

[Caitsey]

I'm going to be at Disneyland in December on my honeymoon and I've just realised that the new Star Wars movie is being released on our last day. My fiance is a huge Star Wars fan and told me that he wants to see it before we leave the US (at 10pm on December 18th!) because otherwise he won't get a chance to see it for another week or two after we get home. Is it likely that Disneyland will have any special events on that day? How do they normally handle movie premieres?

Thanks!

 

[Xenorye]

From what I've read in the past, if they do the premiere at the parks, they'll block off a section (maybe Tomorrowland) to the public. That's for the big premiere event. Your best bet is to keep an eye on when tickets start going on sale. You may be able to get tickets to a 7pm or midnight showing on the 17th at the AMC at Downtown Disney.

 

[maltdizzy]

Movie premieres in L.A./Hollywood (and Disneyland) are usually a week or two before general release, it's part of their big promotional run-up to generate buzz before the opening weekend.

For the Pirates films, DL premieres were invitation only (parked closed early), red carpet affairs and they set up bleachers at the river days ahead of time (which shut down things down) and placed the screen where Fantasmic usually runs on the island. But most Disney premieres in the L.A. area are at their theater, The El Capitan, in Hollywood. With the Lucasarts connection, there is always a chance the premiere may be in S.F. instead.

I expect you'll see promotional ideas and a sneak peek (Tomorrowland theater?) in the park for weeks leading up to the release, and maybe some same-day promotion in the park itself (mini posters are popular for these sorts of things)...but not a premiere for the public. Of course, they announced the big Season of the Force as an "early 2016" promotion at both resorts at D23 and new footage in Star Tours for the new movie.

The movie will certainly be playing at the AMC theater at DTD, and tickets will go on sale months ahead of time.

 

[Caitsey]

Thanks for the advice! I'm pretty sure Disney won't consider us important enough to get an invitation so perhaps we'll just try for tickets at the AMC theatre

 

[taffy]

Yes the premiere will be a week or so before the release date. There is no info on where the premiere will be and it may be in London as the majority of the production was done there.

But I would expect some hoopla the night of release around the parks and over in downtown disney.

 

[DLgal]

There will be midnight showings at all theatres in the area on the 17th (technically 18th). Buy your ticket in advance for the AMC at Downtown Disney.

 

[tarheelalum]

They will probably have an extended preview of the movie in a Bugs Life Theater in California Adventure a few weeks before the movie comes out. If so, you definitely want to see the preview there. That theater is an amazing place to see a movie.

 

[maltdizzy]

They will probably have an extended preview of the movie in a Bugs Life Theater in California Adventure a few weeks before the movie comes out. If so, you definitely want to see the preview there. That theater is an amazing place to see a movie.

I was thinking they'll use the Tomorrowland Theater, considering it's near Star Tours and the top floor of Innoventions is planned (rumor?) to re-open as a preview-center for the new Star Wars Land and other Star Wars exhibits.

Bugs Life made since for Ant-Man.

 

[Xenorye]

I was thinking they'll use the Tomorrowland Theater, considering it's near Star Tours and the top floor of Innoventions is planned (rumor?) to re-open as a preview-center for the new Star Wars Land and other Star Wars exhibits.

Bugs Life made since for Ant-Man.

Not a rumor anymore, it's officially confirmed. Star Wars Launch Bay.

They will almost certainly use the Tomorrowland Theater for this -- which makes this EO fan very sad.

 

[maltdizzy]

I should add for anyone think about it that it will be almost certainly showing at Disney El Capitan Theater in Hollywood as well, on of the great movie palaces still operating daily in L.A. (The Egyptian and Chinese are also worth going to see a movie...any movie...in). That said, the El Capitan isn't a comfortable place to see a long movie.

 

[SMD]

I suggest signing up for email updates from the DTD AMC so that you'll be notified when the tickets open for pre-sale.